Boys and Men...Not Knowing When to Quit

Is it really only 7:50?!?!?!

I am Tired AND Oh So Cranky!

This is one of those posts that is really real but not so positive

...it's just where I am at today.

For the past few days, the principals have been cracking down on some much needed follow up on some way too chronic skippers...this is Good...it means, IF we can get through to them, the detention numbers will come down...my whole job centers around attendance and detentions.

It also means the In School Suspension Room outside my office has been overflowing with some of our worst offenders. Unfortunately, it just so happens that the way the kids got dealt with has left me 2 days of only boys in the ISS room.

I have nothing against boys...I am married to one and have given birth to 2.

Boys can be fun and loving and lots of wonderful things....they also operate under a "pack" mentality.

Don't believe me?

Throw a bunch of them who might not even know each other together all day.

Someone will exert himself as pack leader early on...the rest of the day will be spent with one feeding off the next and before long, any variety of pranks and down right misbehavior begins and continues throughout the day as a way of "one-upping" each other.

They'll do their best to wear you down through any number of ways from the following list:

Silent stubbornness-refusing to accomplish any work, (my personal favorite as they are at least quiet!)

Constant bragging about any number of topics

Arguing about why they are not to blame for the situation they find themselves in.

Which inevitably escalates to trying to convince every new person within ear shot of how wronged they have been.

Demanding to see a principal to re declare the injustices that have seen them thrown into this oh-so-unfair situation.

Asking to leave for a smoke break

Asking to go to the bathroom....REPEATEDLY

Asking to go get a drink....REPEATEDLY

Asking to go to a locker, (they are to be under complete supervision all day)

Threatening to go AWOL

Actually going AWOL

Declaring they have no work to be done...(HELLO! you just skipped 17 periods in the past 2 weeks and you have NO work to do?!??!)

Complaining they don't understand the work that has been provided by their teacher

(gee...maybe you should think about getting to class once in a while!)

Asking to have a teacher come and explain something to them.

Knocking on my door to ask me how to do their work.

Knocking on my door to see if I have more power than the EA in charge of the room.

Knocking on my door to complain that they don't understand why they are in there.

Knocking on my door to make sure they will be clear of detentions after their ISS.

Knocking on my door to see if I know when a principal will be available to see them.

Knocking on my door to see if I have any candy...which I agree to give them IF they can be quiet and let me get some work done for 1/2 an hour.

Knocking on my door to see if the 1/2 hour is up yet, (never mind the giant class room clock right in front of them)

Knocking on my door to tell me they are bored, to show me their chewing tobacco, to see if I want to go grab a bite to eat with them later (don't ask!),

Knocking on my door to see if I am busy.

Writing notes and putting them up in the window that separates their room from my office.

Banging their feet on the wall that separates their room from my office....

As you can see I could continue all day...you name it, they have tried it, even one lighting his lighter while it was still in his pocket yesterday.

They will stop at nothing I tell you!

Unfortunately, tomorrow is shaping up to be just as crazy except I think a girl or 2 will be thrown in to the mix....that is another whole dynamic, (different, not necessarily better) .

By lunch time, I put a call into Hubby to see if he was available to rescue me from the mad-house for 1/2 hour or so...he was not.

After work I decided to make cookies...remember yesterday's post about not taking time to stock the groceries this week?

Making substitutions because I didn't take the time to stock the cupboards over the weekend, led to tasty...but very flat, mangled cookies....OH! and one burned pan full because I tried to accomplish way too much in my already frustrated and cranky state.

The Younger three kids and I made it through supper...Jon and Mark were not yet home...(Lucky for them).

The kids cleaned up with minimal fuss but decided to work out the issue of one's gaming being too loud, by CRANKING the sound on the TV.

The TV that is right below my living room...the living room I was trying to quietly relax in after a crazy day.

The TV that I FOOLISHLY bought hubby a Home theatre surround sound speaker system for for Christmas.

I'll tell you, the TV was not the only think that got cranked up!

I gave them a much deserved tongue-lashing and the TV has been quiet ever since!

Maybe I should try that with the kids in ISS tomorrow!

Yup! It was definitely "one of those days"...

I am sure none of it was helped by the fact that mom died 11 years ago today,

that the EA who works in the ISS room has been having to make palliative care arrangements for her father-in-law over the past 2 days, bringing back a slew of memories.

(In recent years, this has not been a bad day for me...but too many reminders this year I think)

There is also the likelihood that I am pmsing...{hence the need to make chocolate chip cookies...that my husband has just so naively asked "What Happened to these Cookies?" about and is now trying to redeem himself, (knowing full well that his timing was perfect to make him a victim of this post), by saying "they are very tasty though".}

Lord HELP ME!!!!

-I just heard from the kitchen;

"As odd as they look, they are REALLY good"

(The man seriously does not know when to quit)

No Seriously! They are all Alike!!!

My eldest son just walked in after work, at 10:58...looks at the cookies and hollers out:

"What'd you do to the cookeis?!?!"

I'm going to bed!