For the last couple of days I’ve been subbing for a 1st grade teacher. I later found out that she was out with strepp throat. I thought that I’d seen a wild 1st grade class, but nothing compared to this class. There were about 3 or 4 wild boys in this class. What shocked me the most wasn’t the flips, or the throwing of objects across the room. What shocked me the most was the level of vulgarity that came out of a couple of the boys’ mouths. They knew every curse word in the book. One boy (after calling another boy’s mother a b***th) threatened to beat down the other boy and piss on him. I could not believe this was coming from a 6 year old boy. Did I tell the mother? No. I thought it would have been a waste of time. By now, I am becoming increasingly cynical about some parents’ parenting abilities. Anyway, I did get a chance to meet the mother a few times during dismissal time (when she came to pick up her son).

First encounter, she wanted to know everything. Even asked me to write a daily journal about anything and everything her son did.

Been there. Done That.

Second encounter, Cautiously taking the written report (at the same time keeping one eye over her shoulder to see who was listening), and quickly changing the subject.

Third encounter. “Another boy just viciously hit my son when you weren’t looking”. Which negated anything I could have said about her precious little man. I could go on, but what is the point.

Next topic.

After procrastinating all weekend (and not doing my laundry), I had to do my laundry on Monday evening. I decided to go to the small Laundromat in the building next door. As I was taking my clothes out of the dryer, a loud young lady (in a red jacket) came through the door. She briefly rambled on about returning to the old neighborhood to “see who was renting her apartment”. After I finished in the laundry, I started to walk back to my shoebox. Guess what? The same loud young lady (in the red jacket) was on the sidewalk (in front of my building) talking to some friends. In total, there were about 5 people blocking the sidewalk. The young lady (in the red jacket) had her back to me talking to her friends. As I approached the group, I said politely “excuse me”. No one moves. I said excuse me again. The young lady slowly turns around and looks at me (without moving). She looks to her left and right side as if to suggest that I should walk around. The only way I could have walked around (if I were to actually consider it) would have been to take a couple of steps back, walk into the street and around the car parked next to the sidewalk; the young lady must have realized that because she reluctantly moved to one side. To explain the interruption, I said, “I live in this building”. She said, “I don’t give a f**k where you live. I live in that building over there”. She then bursts out laughing. I was in the laundry so I know that she used to live in the building across the street. She told the laundry worker (and anyone in ear shot) that she had moved about a month ago.

I have about 2 more examples of vulgar language (and behavior) of mothers with child(ren), but I think you get the mental picture.

Attached is a photo of my building and neighborhood.

Post Date Sunday, May 21, 2006 6:58pm