Today was not a good day for Ethan.
On the plus side he remembered his football kit this morning. That doesn't always happen. He also tells me he learned something at school today. This never happens.
The downsides started just before nine o'clock when I received a call from Sarah. (Thanks Sarah)
Apparently our garage door was open and the keys were in the lock. The keys on the keyring could open the garage, the shed, and the back door of the house. Sarah kindly offered to lock the garage and pop the keys through the letterbox. (Thanks again Sarah)
These keys were left there overnight and this morning until Sarah spotted them. Ethan left them there.
When Ethan was in the house after school I tried to get him to think about what he might have forgotten to do. He didn't figure it out so I told him I was disappointed with him and I explained why. I also told him about the potential consequences of his behaviour: the shed contents could have been stolen, the garage contents could have been stolen, the house contents could have been stolen, we could have been murdered in our beds.
None of this happened. But that isn't the point.
So after explaining what he had forgotten to do I had expected an apology. Nothing was forthcoming. Nothing at all, just silence.
If the worst didn't happen then was I right to be disappointed?
Then in a chance conversation with Nyree (Thanks Nyree) I discovered that parents' evening is next week. I should have received a note asking when we would like to meet Ethan's teachers. The note had been languishing in Ethan's school bag for a fortnight. I was completely unaware.
The form for parents' evening was due back last Wednesday.
I once again explained my disappointment and this time there was an apology.
These are not isolated incidents. Ethan has history.
I need advice from more experienced parents. What the hell should I do because I'm all out of tether?
5 comments:
Hello Ann. It would seem Ethan is become very distracted young man, no? I would suggest that you to send him for 2 weeks in Bosnia mountains here. He would learn hard lessons; as example, to not fall asleep on his guard because of hungry bears or hairy drunk mountain people. Especially the womenfolk.
I know these 2 weeks to be unpractical, so maybe you make him to sleep in garage or next to ground floor door with key and warnings of violent Serbian cutthroat immigrants in your area. Surefire winnings!
Regards,
Vuk P
Thank you Vuk. I've missed your sage advice. xx
Its probably just karma for you being a handful for your parents.
Yikes, there's me making assumptions again...
Note this is NOT advice from a more experienced parent ...
he didn't mean it and he apologised so there is nothing more you should do to him - other than maybe buy him a notepad or similar. it is just how he is. For you to accept.
The more you push it with him the more forgetting these things will become an act of rebellion/stubborn determination to do his own thing.
Advice from an experienced parent? Look through his school bag daily to see what letters etc are there. Tidy his stuff with him, organise him the night before with what he needs to take. It's the only way
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