We took the kids to Spencer’s Retreat Farm on Saturday to visit Santa, do some crafts and feed the animals. It’s a great place we’ve been to a few times this year.
We fed some goats, had a hot chocolate and decorated a couple of baubles before it was our turn to visit the big guy.
They were having a good chat and giggle, when Santa asked if I should be put on the naughty list.
“A” said that he didn’t think the naughty list was a good idea because some people would be really upset that they didn’t get a present and it might not be their fault that they have done something “naughty”.
Santa agreed with him and said he’d think of another way of doing it.
When the kids were in school, “K” would get really upset by the reward chart, not being on the red herself but anybody losing break time etc. She would come home and re-enact kids being put on amber or red and had so much anger and violence in her voice when she told her toys and dolls off.
I’m sure her teachers didn’t use that tone or volume but it was how she perceived it.
I’ve coached kids who believe they are bad to the core because they have been told they are naughty or “bullied” by adults as a way of trying to control their behaviour.
Most of the time without establishing why the child had that behaviour in the first place.
Listening to “A” discuss this with Santa was a reminder to me of how far our kids have come since they first moved in and more so since we started home educating them.
There are times when I doubt my abilities as a Dad, this visit to Santa was one of those times I was super proud of the job we’re doing.
Darren “should be on the nice list” Checkley
