Sunday, October 12, 2008

Violent 9's and a Soapbox Plea

Today one of the boy's in my primary class turned around and whispered to me "Where are the Violent 9's?"

Confused I asked him to repeat himself. "Where are the Violent 9's?" he asked again. I finally made the connection that he was asking where the Valiant 9's were. I told them that they were in their classroom. "Oh" he said, "because my sister is in the Violent 9's." I had to chuckle. I have a son that is 9 and actually there are a couple of kids in that class that could possibly make the teachers call it "The Violent 9's" at home or in whispered tones under their breath to one another. LOL!

(for non lds readers the Valiant is one of the names of the classes that they use for primary kids we have Valiant 8, 9, 10 and 11.)

Now....stepping up on my soapbox and making a plea. I've debated and debated posting this but I really need to get it off of my chest so....

As a teacher, nay as a parent, I beg of you other parents of children, especially younger children....PLEASE do not let your children bring toys, pencil boxes, notebooks etc. to class. Please.

I really don't care how big of a fit your child is throwing because they don't want to leave the toy at home. I don't. YOU be the bad guy. Don't make ME be the bad guy. Toys are incredibly disruptive to class and the Spirit of any meeting. And I dislike having to tell a child over and over to either put the toy in their pocket or under their chairs. JUST LEAVE THE TOYS HOME.

I do have an exception with babies and toys because
1. they usually don't have a class to go to and
b. because they usually don't use the toy to tease or enchant other kids as, sometimes, older children will.

That said, I have been guilty of taking toys for my kids. I have repented. My kids now know that toys are for home not for church. My youngest will sometimes throw a fit about taking a toy and we compromise. She can take the toy with her in the car but it stays in the car, it does not go into the church building. If we take something to church it is usually books, or notebooks, and paper and pencils, BUT those things do not go to class with them. They are in my bag. They stay with me.

It is not only hard in class but it's hard when I take my kids into sacrament meeting and there are other children on the bench in front of us or behind us or across the aisle from us that have toys out playing with them. Running cars along the back of the pews or holding pretend games with action figures, or the best of all is when they bring toys that actually MAKE NOISE! How is that any better than a cell phone going off in sacrament meeting?

My kids are not angels. I have one son who will sneak toys in his pockets. I'm hoping that he's learning it's not a wise thing to do. Just last week at PTC his school teacher informed us of this bad habit. She now has permission to confiscate any toy that he has without warning and hold it until the end of the school year.

As a primary teacher I usually ask the kids to put the toys in their pockets or under their chairs so as not to be disruptive to the class. I have a "three strikes rule" where if I have to ask them three times then I hold the toy until the end of class and then I give it back.

I have made exceptions. There have been children in my classses that have autism who use the toy to keep them calm and they are less disruptive with the toy than they are without it. Or it's less disruptive for them to keep the toy than it would be for me to try and take it from them.

For the most part, though, children know that church is not a time for toys. It's a time to learn and feel of the Spirit and having toys there makes such a distraction. It makes it so not only does the child with the toy usually not listen but it also makes it so the kids that are in class or around him/her have a difficult time listening. It also makes it harder for the Spirit to be there because I am constantly having to ask the child to put the toy away and that takes time away from teaching. We have precious few minutes to teach the lessons as it is.

I realize that there are those who will totally and completely disagree with me on this and that's o.k. It's just an honest plea from a teacher of 13 and a parent of 4 who is trying her best to help these kids feel the Spirit and understand and enjoy that feeling. Take it for what it is.

Deep breath. Stepping off of Soapbox now.

9 comments:

Kristina P. said...

I had no idea that parents let their kids bring toys to Primary.

I know they will sometimes have books and things during Sacrament, to keep them quiet, but that's just weird.

Anonymous said...

I agree 100%. I was recently released from nursery and I have to say it was very difficult when children would bring there own toys from home. Either the other children wanted to play with them or they would get mixed up with toys we already had for nursery. There would alway be some kind of problem that could easily be solve if toys would not be brought in the first place.

Elisa said...

AMEN! I mean, seriously? Thats just rude. As a former primary president, I had NO problem going to parent and telling the parent that Johnnys cars were causing WAY to many problems in class. Do the parents not realize that is NOT babysitting time, but actual learning time?

OK. I got on my soap box too. This is something that really bugs me too!

*MARY* said...

One day in the nursery I noticed some new toys, I thought they had been donated so we all played and had a good time with them. Then when it was time to go one of the nursery girls sister came in to pick her up, she was maybe 9, and asked where her toys were. I told her I thought they were the nursery's toys so I put them away in the toy box. I went and got them for her but one was missing and I didn't want to dig through all the toys to find it so I told her we'd find it next week, (I was tired and hungry and wanted to go home) She got so mad and told me it was my responsibility to keep track of the toys. I told her that I didn't know they were her sisters toys and she told me I should still be responsible. I just said sorry and went home.

Wendyburd1 said...

BRAVO!! Soapboxes are good things!! I taught nursery, where okay lots of toys anyway, but when I taught Sunbeams?! Nightmare!!

Just SO said...

Don't even get me started about the kids who bring toys to nursery! I was in there for over three years.

When kids brought in toys I would quietly take them away and set them where they weren't going to get fought over. Yes I'm a meanie.

Unknown said...

I am Primary Prez in my ward, and we have a little 4 year old that packs a princess bag full of toys, food and books and plays with them the whhole time. We try to take it away or make her levae it under her chair, but the other kids are still so distracted by it.

Yesterday was fast sunday, and I kid you not...she pulled out a PEACH and ate it during sharing time.
I was sitting by the Violent 11 yr old boys, so I didn't see this had happened until her teacher threw the pit away. Gross.

Anonymous said...

right there behind you S!!!

my kids have never brought toys

LOL at the Violent9 LOL

Wendyburd1 said...

My Mom made us busy books when I was little, and we had those during Sacrament meeting, but she took them away right before closing prayer. My Mom rocks!!:)