Pushing

Last week at PDO, Grace got into a bit of trouble. My sweet, kind-hearted, never-been-in-time-out, precious child decided she was going to start pushing.
I picked her up on Tuesday and asked the teacher how the day went, expecting the typical "perfect as usual!" answer. Instead she told me that Grace got put in time out TWICE for pushing.

Pushing.

My child.

We don't push her. She doesn't have any siblings to push or that push her around.

Not possible.

Miss Kerry told me that some of the other kids have been in trouble before for pushing and not to stress.

Right.

When we got in the car, I asked Grace what happened and the conversation went something like this...
"Grace, Miss Kerry told me you went in time out today."
Grace: "Uh-huh."
 "Why did you go to time out?"
Grace: "I pushin'."
"Why did you push?"
Grace: "I push Zayden. I push Brasher. I pushin'."
"Grace, that was a bad choice to push. Sweet girls hug their friends and don't push."
Grace: "I sorry. I pushin'."

The rest of the night was spent taking every opportunity to tell Grace about bad choices, why we don't push, we need to hug our friends, blah, blah, blah (even I was getting tired of the "teaching opportunities").
The next morning I dropped Grace off and lectured her the whole way into class and assured her teacher she had received an earful about being sweet and not to worry.
When I picked her up that afternoon you can imagine my shock and surprise that she was put in time out again for pushing. Miss Kerry didn't seem to be stressed about it and even told me that Grace was actually sort of sweet even when she was pushing and sat in time out better than any kid she ever had.
Perfect.
Our conversation in the car went much the same as the day before, except that Brasher wasn't there that day, so she took all her frustration out solely on Zayden.  We spent the evening yet again talking to Grace about being sweet and how good girls hug and kiss their friends, not push. We told her she would have to go in time out and get a spanking if she pushed her friends again.
The next morning I nervously dropped her off and resisted the urge to call up to Calvary and see if she was in trouble. When I picked her up you can imagine my dismay when the teacher said she had to send Grace to time out AGAIN.
"Today she didn't push. I had to send her to time out for interrupting nap time. She wouldn't stop kissing and hugging Zayden and Brasher today and telling them she was sweet."
On the way home I couldn't stop smiling and didn't even think about giving her a lecture. Parenting is too much fun.