Every three months my boys go on an outdoor adventure camp with the school they are currently attending. WizzKid(grade 7) goes away for a whole week.
Let me express that I love Hillcrest Christian Academy and I really admire the head principal. He is a very approachable man with a heart for the children in his school. Both WizzKid and CoolDude's teachers this year have been wonderful.
Getting to the reason for this post....... On Monday we packed Wizzkid off on his final Outdoor camp of the year. MrGee and I have ALWAYS insisted he takes his cell phone with him. Okay so we are a very technological family and we have allowed our kids to have cellphones from the age of eight.(To the shock of many close friends!) The boys do not have contracts and they are not allowed mix-it...... we keep a very tight reign on this. BUT.... MrGee and I both agree it is a necessity in the world we live in, especially in South Africa!
Well..... last night I got an SMS from Wizzkid to say he thinks he has sun stroke and that he is feeling grim. I texted back to say hold in there, chin up and keep lathering yourself with suncream. The next morning he texted that he was feeling terrible and that he had vomitted.... and what should he do? So I left a message to go and speak to his class teacher. Then I heard nothing for the whole morning.
I mentioned to Mrgee that I was concerned and he encouraged me to phone the camp organisers. Well........ this just let all hell break lose! I asked the lady in charge how my son was doing because he had contacted me and told me he felt ill. She let rip......
"How did he let you know he was sick?" she asked.
"He sms''d me." I answered
"So does he have a cell phone with him?"
"Yes he does, but that's not the point...... can you please tell me how he is."
"Do you know that he has broken the rules?"
"Yes perhaps he has, but we gave him permission to take it on camp."
"Well I am going to have to take this up with the Principal.... you have no authority to do that!" she yelled.
At this stage I tell her " I will no longer be continuing this conversation." I put the phone down ...... and burst into tears. All I want to know is how my son is!
Of course I phone MrGee, he gets involved and the whole situation is then taken to another level.
Subsequently the Headmaster calls and tells me that we are teaching our son to break rules, disrespect authority and ultimately sin! (I thought we were born sinners and that it wasn't a learnt behaviour.)
The thing is that Hubby and I don't have a problem with breaking that rule. WizzKid is our son and we are more concerned about his well being than a rule!
Call us rebellious, we don't mind, we've been called that before by a very controlling church. Only once we were separated from that institution( and we saw the light!) did we realise their faults.
With that off my chest........ I am still open to the Lord revealing my faults and wrong doings in this situation! But as parents we have to take a stand...... I mean who else will with our own kids!
I feel a little lighter and I loudly echo ......" Role on homeschooling!"
xx
5 comments:
Yowzers. It is amazing to me that they were more worried about him having a cellphone and breaking rules than possile sunstroke. Their priorities should have been making sure he wasn't ill first, rule breaking later.
I have to admit to breaking this kind of rule myself. I think it makes sense to take a cellphone. Maybe not for some children, as I'm sure there are many who would spend their whole time playing with it.
When are you back to homeschooling? January?
Yes Kathleen we start in January! I agree they probably have the rule to stop the young teenagers from being glued to their cellphones. BUT... I get freaked out when the school feel they have a greater say about my kids than I do!!! As parents we should know what's best for our kids!
Hi Fifi, yes I did write you! I read your page daily..Sorry to hear of the troubles with the cellphone. There are some things that should be parental choices, not the school. That's one of the main reasons we homeschool! I look forward to getting to know you better too!! Jerelene
I'm with ya on this one! It's not like your son was calling his buddies or you every day just for fun. He was using the phone to text you quietly that he was ill. I think there is nothing wrong with that. I do understand the 'no cell phone' rule that the school may have because yes, most kids do abuse it, but in his case he didn't! It's just unfair that some kids ruin it for the nice ones like your son! You were nicer than I was. I'd have gone ballistic on them and would have insisted they tell me how he was. I hope he's doing better now though...did you ever hear? Is he home now?
Well, rest easy girl, you are not alone in how you feel about this situation. I think the head master was VERY wrong in what he said to you. He handled it poorly. Do I see homeschooling in your future??? hee hee You go girl!!
Big hugs,
Elinor
P.S. I answered your question on my blog...I'm not 'only' 36, although I'd like to be. ha ha I'm 43. Yup, I'm old! = )
Ah, the beauty of having people who can tell us what sin is when we "clearly have no clue how horrible we are."
My goodness. People. Ugh.
Hope your son is doing better.
~Luke
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