How much can go wrong with a 6yr old's treasure hunt birthday party?
Sunday dawned warm and clear skies, which was good for us as we'd planned the treasure hunt to be in the park, with coats and wellies if necessary. As it was the gods were smiling and the sun shone warm. All my daffodils opened at once and we were bathed in a golden glow. No, really!! No coats, no wellies, and 8 little children set off to enjoy the fun.
At least that's what we thought would happen. Only one little boy 'Boy A' had other plans... I took him aside for throwing stones from our gravel drive. I took him aside for giving boy B a bloody nose by pushing him over so he fell on the patio and took boy H down with him (accidentally) who needed an icepack on his bumped head. And that was before the treasure hunt had started...
I took Boy A aside half-way through the treasure hunt, as the birthday boy was in tears. Boy A was tearing ahead of the rest of the children and covering up the clues with his arms/hands so they couldn't see them. In the playpark I took him aside after asking/telling him 3 times to stop dragging his toes on the ground while the roundabout was going around - his boots were in shreds!
When he continued to hit his sister I took him aside as he was spoiling the fun of the pass the parcel. The only time he sat still was for the food. All the rest of the children were 'normal'. That is to say they were excited to be at the party, and wanted to have fun, but Boy A was in a class of his own.
I held my nerve. I held my calm. I exhorted him to be good. I suggested his mother would be really pleased if I could say to her that he had been a good boy, and of course he could come again. I said I knew he could do it (I lied!), and said all the other children were having fun, wouldn't it be nice for him to join in? He didn't want me to have to phone his mum, did he? He said no. Then he went and did something else impulsive... he took a candle off the cake after they'd just been blown out by the birthday boy. This child had absolutely no self-control whatsoever. Even making allowances for the party excitement factor, this child tipped the scale.
I think I did my bit. I think I was restrained. But the birthday boy hadn't enjoyed having Boy A there, and in retrospect, Boy A's mother's parting remark of "If he plays up, just cosh him," has been playing on my mind ever since...
The rest of the children were lovely. No, really, they got on and had fun, and made a lot of jokes about bodily functions at the tea-table. I can't turn the clock back, we can't change what happened.
And I've not seen Boy A's mum at school gates yet. I don't know what I'll say.
Least said, soonest mended?
'Time for bed' said Zebedee. Boing!!. Keep it sweet. Kat.
Sunday dawned warm and clear skies, which was good for us as we'd planned the treasure hunt to be in the park, with coats and wellies if necessary. As it was the gods were smiling and the sun shone warm. All my daffodils opened at once and we were bathed in a golden glow. No, really!! No coats, no wellies, and 8 little children set off to enjoy the fun.
At least that's what we thought would happen. Only one little boy 'Boy A' had other plans... I took him aside for throwing stones from our gravel drive. I took him aside for giving boy B a bloody nose by pushing him over so he fell on the patio and took boy H down with him (accidentally) who needed an icepack on his bumped head. And that was before the treasure hunt had started...
I took Boy A aside half-way through the treasure hunt, as the birthday boy was in tears. Boy A was tearing ahead of the rest of the children and covering up the clues with his arms/hands so they couldn't see them. In the playpark I took him aside after asking/telling him 3 times to stop dragging his toes on the ground while the roundabout was going around - his boots were in shreds!
When he continued to hit his sister I took him aside as he was spoiling the fun of the pass the parcel. The only time he sat still was for the food. All the rest of the children were 'normal'. That is to say they were excited to be at the party, and wanted to have fun, but Boy A was in a class of his own.
I held my nerve. I held my calm. I exhorted him to be good. I suggested his mother would be really pleased if I could say to her that he had been a good boy, and of course he could come again. I said I knew he could do it (I lied!), and said all the other children were having fun, wouldn't it be nice for him to join in? He didn't want me to have to phone his mum, did he? He said no. Then he went and did something else impulsive... he took a candle off the cake after they'd just been blown out by the birthday boy. This child had absolutely no self-control whatsoever. Even making allowances for the party excitement factor, this child tipped the scale.
I think I did my bit. I think I was restrained. But the birthday boy hadn't enjoyed having Boy A there, and in retrospect, Boy A's mother's parting remark of "If he plays up, just cosh him," has been playing on my mind ever since...
The rest of the children were lovely. No, really, they got on and had fun, and made a lot of jokes about bodily functions at the tea-table. I can't turn the clock back, we can't change what happened.
And I've not seen Boy A's mum at school gates yet. I don't know what I'll say.
Least said, soonest mended?
All my own work!
'Time for bed' said Zebedee. Boing!!. Keep it sweet. Kat.
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