My son is usually a nice and well behaved boy. He is in year one. I have never before been told that there is a problem with him in school aside from once which I will explain about further down(at least not that he has cause). He is not disruptive in class, he can focus and get on with his work, but the problem seems to be at playtime.
Yesterday his teacher told me that it has been a really bad week. He has had to go and see the Headmisstress twice this week for bad behaviour. By this, they mean for hurting another child/fighting. He spat one boy in the face, he kicked another. I had talks with him about this at home, and he promised to be good and not hurt his friends.
But today when I came to pick him up his teacher told me he had to go see the headmistress again for the third time this week. Today he hurt a boy that has just recently returned to school after two weeks in hospital having operations on his eyes. I am disappointed, and very upset with him.
My husband has been away for a month, he went to India the week before half term. His teacher says that the problems started just before half term. I hope the two are related, because this should mean his behaviour returns to normal next week, as my husband is coming back tomorrow.
Punishment, withdrawals of treats, etc has never really worked with my son. I never punish, I only just talk. Sometimes he is sent to his room to "think about things" if he has misbehaved. But I have not had to resort to this at all the last two years! When he was just three, my only method of disciplining would be to send him to his room, and for me to join him 5 minutes later to talk about what the problem was, and then we would hug and continue our day.
Maybe I have been too lenient on him. At 5 1/2 he is old enough to know not to fight and to be good. He knows that it will lose him friends. He has kicked another boy once before, when he was in reception, and this boy has not played with my son since, saying my son betrayed their friendship by kicking him. He kicked him on the shin. My son knows that this is why Joe wont play with him.
So, and the other thing is, as I did not know what to do to reprimand him for this, we spoke about it this morning before school, and then he goes and hurts a child again. So I told him he was banned from the computer for a month, and he would not get the spiderman web blaster toy his dad will bring him from India until he has proven that he can be good and there are no more visits to the Headmistress. AND I bannished him to his room till dinner time. AND I told him he could not decorate the 40 chocolate cake slices I have baked for his best friends birthday. (That was the only thing he was upset about) But, when I saw his sad face when we started decorating the cakes, I had a chat with him about behaviour and said, because it seems he understand the situation I would let him decorate cakes.
I am not good at reprimands, and I dont know what to do. Was I too harsh?
He has been waiting for the spiderman toy for a month, should I let him have it? And how can I get myself out of this without losing authority?
(I used to be StarryStarryNight till recently)