Teachable moments: the new kid at school

Brady came home a few weeks ago telling me of a kindness he did and his new best friend because of it.

He comes home yesterday just as excited as can be. "I have another best friend!"

Let me back up though. The kid who he says is his new best friend has presented a teachable moment for Brady. I don't know this little guy's story. He sure is cute as can be.

He came to class a few weeks ago and stirred things up a bit. Brady came home one day and dropped the "f-bomb" on me. WHOA! He'd never said that word in his life, up until then I don't think he'd ever heard it. But it was clear he had no idea what it meant, had heard it said at school that day, saw the results of it and I guess wanted to see if I would react like all the other adults had. I did!

He's never said it again and I don't think he will. We discussed it at length and he realizes that it is the "King of Bad Words." He also has heard a few of the King's minions lately. Sigh. Thank goodness he immediately comes home and asks me about it.

But the situations the new kid has found himself in over the course of a couple of weeks allowed Brady and I to talk about how misbehavior can disrupt the entire classroom. Not only that, some of the kids who saw what the new guy was doing tried to do the same things and then they themselves ended up in LOTS of trouble.

It has allowed Brady to see why there are certain rules and what happens when they are broken.

Anyway, Brady did get in a little trouble talking during bus line up so he was sent to sit at the front of the bus until further notice. He spent all of kindergarten at the front of the bus, but has worked hard and this year's bus trips have mostly gone very very well.

So he found he was not alone up there at the front. His new friend was there too. And Brady shared his bus toys with his friend, which prompted a hug from the little guy. Also, last year Brady was required to not only sit up front but also wear a seat belt (there are only seat belts up front). This year he's not. But he saw that his little friend was wearing one, so Brady put his on too even though he didn't have to :)

I think it's cute, the two guys sitting up there with their seat belts on sharing bus toys, making a friendship and something positive even though they were up there as a consequence for something. We've prayed a lot for this little guy (and for Brady!) and from what I've heard he's doing a lot better. As always, thank you, God.