Busted!

Discipline is most effective when done immediately after the infraction, but usually when something has happened at daycare I hear about it too late to do anything about it. Wednesday, I got lucky or Joanna got unlucky, whichever way you want to look at it! Joanna has boundary issues and some social immaturity. Recently at daycare she's been a little too touchy-feely with the other children either by using her hands to touch them or by pressing her body up to theirs. The teacher told me that some of the children were clearly upset by this and they didn't know quite how to handle it. Apparently, the teachers tell her to stop and she either giggles or just doesn't respond. They then move her away from the situation but I guess she just finds another child to aggravate. Wednesday morning, I dropped Joanna off in her 4 year old classroom and Kyle in his 3 year old room (he can't move to the 4's until he keeps his pants dry -- I guess that may happen by the time he graduates from high school!). I took Marcie and Charlie to the school-age child room and chatted with that teacher while I fixed Marcie's hair. When I took Marcie back to the 4 year old room and opened the door, I saw Joanna with her body pressed up to a little boy whose back was to her and his face was practically against the wall. She was putting her arm around his chest when I sternly said, "Joanna!" She quickly stepped away and whirled around to look at me. I ordered her to come to me and had to repeat that about 4 times because she did not want to come across that room. The teacher said she had already told Joanna to stop and Joanna hadn't responded. I took that little girl out to my car and gave her the fire and brimstone talk (well, not exactly but she knew I was MAD) and told her that she has to do what her teachers tell her and that she may not touch the other children. I reiterated "NO TOUCH" several times and then cornered her so that she couldn't move and pointed out that that does not feel good. She agreed with that point and repeated to me "no touching." Of course, she was also crying pretty hard after this. I think she got the message because she was much better behaved the rest of the day and all day Thursday. We'll see how long that lasts!