School Days...Luck and Bribery

Today marks one week since the boys went back to school and I went back to cursing the alarm clock and bumping into things in the mornings.

Dracen told me yesterday that he's been having a bit of bad luck.  "Like how do you mean?", I asked him.  He replied with, "Ah,  you know...just bad luck."  After some frustration and coaxing on my part, he finally confessed that he kept getting in trouble with the teacher.  But none of it, of course, was his fault.  

Like brother like brother.  

Seriously, how naive do they think I am?  

According to him, he got called down once (or maybe twice) for talking when all he was doing was telling someone else to stop talking to him.  Another time she accused him of not doing his work when (his words) he's really just a slow worker.  First I've ever heard of him being a "slow worker".  And yet another time someone "snitched" on him for talking in the bathroom.  And oh, he's already been moved to a new table.  

But none of this, mind you, was his fault.  None whatsoever.  It's just that bad luck thing working against him.  Maybe I should put a horseshoe in his book bag,  a four leaf clover in his agenda and start packing him Lucky Charms for snack to help combat this stroke of bad luck he's run up on.  

I just hope this is not an indication of how this year's going to go because I'm just not sure I'm up for the challenge after the way his brother's first year of middle school went last year.  I'm saying my prayers, holding my breath, and crossing my fingers that eighth grade is going to be a little more smooth sailing than seventh and that maybe, just maybe, he's going to find his 'on' switch this year.  And that when he does, Dracen isn't going to simultaneously find his 'off' switch. 

One night last week at the supper table Charlie asked Devin to think of something big he really wanted and that he may just possibly get if he makes straight A's all year. His first words were (and I kid you not), "No way that's going to happen." 

He then played along and named some kind of fancy headphones that he said costs about 300 dollars.  Knowing Devin's motivational level the way that I do, I suggested he aim a little higher for straight A's and told him those headphones would maybe make a good AB prize.  

We finally came up with a four wheeler, the one thing they've been begging me for for years although they have one they can ride at their popaw's house, and it would just be one more thing I'd have to worry myself over.  Not to mention one more helmet rule I'd have to enforce.  

But if it will motivate him to bring his A game, I'm all for it.

Bribery...

Lucky charms...

Whatever works.