The Red Table

The Red Table is where children who don't pay attention in my son's preschool class have to sit and think about their transgressions. My son has been a frequent resident of The Red Table lately. We want him to know it's not acceptable but at the same time it's almost inevitable when you have a preschool class full of 4 year old boys who are constantly playing Power Rangers, karate and Incredible Hulk vs. Spiderman; they will get side tracked from time to time. Especially now that it is summer time and they aren't following a strict school curriculum and everyday is a themed fun day like bubble day, swim day, pajama day, etc.

But regardless to the lack of structure over the summer he still needs listen to his teacher so, my husband and I have resorted to threatening him with no toys or television if he goes to The Red Table. But I get the feeling he's past the point of dreading his fate because he already knows staying away from The Red Table will be a struggle. In the mornings if you ask him if he's going to The Red Table he says, "I'm going to try not to," The other day while he was in the bathtub we had the following conversation:

ME: If you hurry up and wash up you can catch the last Oswald show before bed.

HIM: Is it a new show I never saw before?

ME: I don't know.

HIM: (seriously thinking) Hmm. . .well, Daddy told me if I go to The Red Table I can't watch my shows on t.v. so, maybe next time.

My mouth was hanging open (as it usually does when I'm dealing with Mr. Four going on Forty) because I didn't know he had gone to The Red Table but I think mainly because he was being so "compliant".

Another "punishment" for going to The Red Table was to write I will not go to the red table (actually the word "the" was left off by dad) on a full sheet of paper. When I got home from work he was all excited because he was writing "I will not got to red table" and he was making such perfect letters.

So, bottom line he tries his best (according to him) not to go to The Red Table but the wicked forces at work in his preschool class are often against him so he just accepts his fate and takes his sentence like a four year old.