I'm sorry!

I have this adorable little K girl, Kaia.

She's not usually with me for very long in the afternoon, one of her parents is there within half an hour most days.

She's sweet and intelligent, shows a lot of maturity in her thinking and interactions with other kids. It's unfortunate for her that she isn't there long enough to participate in our craft activities, but she seems pleased to see a parent at pickup time.

This afternoon while I was still checking kids in, she came and stood by me. 
"Bailey slapped my face," she said.
"What?!?"
Bailey was right behind her wearing a sheepish look.
"I said I was sorry!" she blurted.

I asked her why she had slapped Kaia.
Kaia answered, "She asked me if I brought a stuffy today and I said no and she slapped me!"

Every month or so at least one class has a pajama day. They wear their pajamas to school for the day as a reward. They can bring a stuffed animal, too. Fridays are also stuffy day in my program. They can bring their own or use one of ours from the big bin of them. Kaia was in pajamas, which is probably why Bailey asked her the question.

I asked, "Bailey, there are so many ways to communicate with our friends, slapping someone is mean. I'm so disappointed that you felt like you could slap Kaia."

She repeated, "But I said I was sorry!"

"Bailey. If I slapped your face and then said I was sorry right away, would your face still hurt?"

She did that grin she does when she's been caught.

"I guess my face would still hurt."

"Yep. Saying sorry doesn't really help in a situation like this."

She walked away and sat next to Kaia on the chairs in the reading area. I heard her apologize, and it sounded sincere. Kaia was fine. You know, except for being slapped across the face by an older kid who had NO reason to do so.

So I had to talk to her parent at pick up. I don't like doing that, I hate the idea that after being away from each other all day long, a parent's first contact with their child is about an issue where their behavior has been less-than-stellar, and Bailey has had a few issues lately.

Last week she said a word that starts with f. 
It was not 'fudge'. 
Also an automatic talk to the parent moment.

She has ADHD, and is impulsive. Has trouble coming in from our recess time or being quiet on the few occasions I ask them for attention.

When called on it, she gets that same sheepish look and says she's sorry but her subsequent actions say otherwise.

I'm keeping my eye on her, though. Hoping for no more slapping, at least.
The f word? That's actually less of a worry than physical aggression.

::sigh:::

Never boring. Never boring.