Monday, September 07, 2009

Sushie Pickle

Adam is back in school and third grade hasn't made a lick of difference in his willingness (or lack of) to talk to me about his day. We took the boys out to dinner a few days ago though and I told Adam that during dinner we were going to talk about how school is going. Before the food arrived at our table, this is the conversation that we had:


Me: So Adam . . . how's school going?
Adam: Good.
Me: I want you to tell me about three things that happened at school today.
Adam: Okay . . .
Me: And you can't say "recess, lunch, and math". I want some specifics.
Adam: Ummmmm . . . I don't know.
Phil: (sensing the abrupt halt in the conversation) How about this? What did you do at recess today?
Adam: I'm in a club.
Me: Really? What kind of club?
Adam: I don't know. We follow the club leader.
Me: Who is the club leader?
Adam: I don't know his name. He's in 4th grade. Or maybe 5th.
Me: What do you do in your club?
Adam: Today we called a girl Sushie Pickle.
Me: silence
Adam: giggling at what was for sure the bewildered look on my face
Me: Sushie Pickle?
Phil: (muffling his own giggle) Did she know that you were calling her that?
Adam: Yeah.
Me: Did she like that you were calling her that.
Adam: I don't know.
Phil: Were you teasing her?
Adam: Maybe. I don't know. We were laughing.
Phil: Was she laughing?
Adam: I don't know. (as he giggles again)
Me: Who was the girl?
Adam: I don't know her name . . . we just called her Sushie Pickle (giggle turns into full-blown laughter)
Me: (trying to not laugh at him laughing) I think that tomorrow you need to find her and apologize.
Phil: It's not nice to tease anybody. It makes them feel bad.
Adam: Okay. But Sushie Pickle is funny.

I'm happy to report that Adam found the girl the next day and told her that he was sorry for calling her Sushie Pickle. He told me that she said that she didn't care if they called her that because Sushie Pickle is funny. Go figure.

And he still doesn't know what his club leader's name is. Phil and I are wondering if this leader realizes that Adam is in his club.

3 comments:

Kristi said...

Seriously, THANK YOU. Javien is the same. I ask him what he had for lunch - nada. What he did at recess - nothing. Did he do math? - he doesn't know. Who did he sit by at lunch - he has no clue. But he knows his teacher is a Mr. - but it's actually a Mrs.

Julie said...

Now THAT is funny, Kristi.

Don't hold your breath that it will get better with age. Adam has been this way since day one. The Sushie Pickle conversation is actually the longest one we have ever had that even slightly pertains to school. But I love that Javien says that his teacher is a Mr. That made me laugh out loud.

Nathan said...

The weird stuff kids do ...

Join a club with no purpose, make up a name for a girl ...

The best part is that she didn't mind because sushie pickle is funny.

Some days I really want to climb on the express bus back to 3rd grade.