A Visit to the Principal's Office

My gut told me that nothing good could come from the Principal meeting a parent in the parking lot and asking them to stop by his office before leaving the building "for a brief talk". I figured I was in trouble for being late (yet again), while also lecturing my daughter in the parking lot about how she wouldn't have been cold if she'd put her coat on as suggested, and NO, we were late so she could not stop to do it now. Maybe my tone of voice was off and it was being noted as... something, by the other parents.

Or, maybe I was just paranoid from too many run-ins with authority lately and I didn't want one more thing I'd need to worry about doing. At any rate, dread was creeping in under my skin.

So, after dropping Short Person in her classroom, and circling back at the "Mom! You need to tie my shoe!", I proceeded to the office and reluctantly made my way into Mr. McConaughey's office. I wondered if I needed to shut the door or if I needed to sit down. Since he seemed to be comfortable with me just standing there looking at him, I did neither.

I watched as his weathered hand closed over his coffee cup and heard the squeak of the chair as he leaned back to take a sip, and then put the cup back down on the desk, his hand resting on the handle. "I need to tell you a story about compassion." He said, in his gravely voice. "We had an incident here yesterday, where a few things were said, and someone got pulled into the office and talked too."

"Yeah, I was actually in Meg's classroom yesterday, so I got to see some of it." I responded.

He continued. "Well, that person was made to apologize to your daughter. It wasn't the best of apologies, but it was given. She got it out..."

Before I continue, I should relate the events of the day before, so that the full impact of what he said next can hit you as it did me.

It was Short Person's birthday. She turned six, and she was excited. Mommy was helping in her class, and afterward her mommy and daddy were taking her out for her birthday dinner. She'd had her music class sing "Happy Birthday" to her. She'd gotten a cupcake snack. She was having a good day and was smiling as she left for recess. But, when she came back from recess, she was in tears.

It seems that one of the girls, we'll call her Lynn, had spent a good portion of recess telling her that it wasn't her birthday. This hurt Short Person's feelings. Now, I'm sure you're saying, just as I was, "Well Honey, WE know it's your birthday, so don't let it get to you." But, hear tell it from the teachers, Lynn was being down-right *mean* about it. It gained the notice of not one, not two, but FOUR teachers. When Lynn's attitude had not changed after returning to her class, she was pink-slipped to the Principal's office, given a talking too, and made to come into Short Person's class and apologize.

The whole re-enter class, mommy gets story, mommy calms Shortie down, we re-join class, Lynn enters to apologize, probably took about 10 minutes. I watched Lynn and Mr. McConaughey enter, I watched him tell Lynn to apologize, and turned away to give Meg privacy and let her handle the situation without worrying about her over-protective mommy getting involved. Then a short minute later, Short Person sat back down and re-joined class.

I left to go to work for a bit a short while later, but learned that Meg had attempted to go and sit next to Lynn at lunch-- only to spill her lunch on the ground on her way. But, the attempt was there, and I was proud of her for that.

Back to the next day in the Principal's office.

"Well, that person was made to apologize to your daughter. It wasn't the best of apologies, but it was given. She got it out. And that's when your daughter leaned forward, gave Lynn a hug and said, 'That's okay. I still love you.'"

I heard this and felt like I'd been punched in the gut. My daughter did what? Of her own accord? Wow.

Mr. McConaughey kept talking. "I tell you, I almost lost it." I looked at him and believed him. He had tears in his eyes just telling me the story. "We have some truly wonderful kids in this school. They are just little blessings."

"I don't know how I got so lucky to be blessed by her." I responded. And it's true. I have no idea how or why God trusted me with Megan. I pray at least once a week that I won't fail at being her parent. That I won't screw it up.

We chatted for a minute more. I thanked him for telling me the rest of the story, and I left to call LJS and repeat it. Praying again my weekly prayer of thanks.