Ryan Painter Online

I’m a Rename The BC Liberal Party Winner

Back in late April Bob Mackin (whose blogs 2010 Gold Rush and Red Mittens & Red Ink can be found here and here) launched a contest to rename the BC Liberal party.  Wouldn’t you know it…my entry was one of two winners. My suggestion was Social Credit Alliance Liberal Party (or SCALP) and bob had my thinking dead on. It’s the perfect name for a unite-the-right movement and the acronym describes my feelings perfectly about the current party.

So I am the proud new owner of Bob Mackin’s book Red Mittens & Red Ink. Congratulations also to my co-winner Lori Shenher. Her suggestions are below:

B.C. Libercons (party theme: “Never Gonna Stop This Train”)
CCCP (Christy Can’t Close Party)
PEP Squad (Perpetually Eluding the People)
DeRail B.C. Party

You can get your copy of Bob’s book from multiples sources; iTunes, Sony Reader Store, Kobo, Diesel, and Barnes & Nobel. It’s only 8.99 at all places, a heck of a bargain. 

Once again, thanks to Bob Mackin for the opportunity to rename the BC Liberals and for sending this awesome book.

How To Overcome Parental Coddling?

I have one student in my senior kindergarten class who is constantly getting into trouble. He’s a very smart little boy but also extraordinarily spoiled. He always wants other children in the classroom to give him what they are playing with, always orders other kids to give over their writing or coloring utensils and when we have carpet time never pays attention to our discussions. It’s frustrating because I know the potential this little boys has.

My Chinese counterparts in the classroom have given up because of the constant blow back from parents. One day we kept him inside during outside play and his grandfather, who constantly wanders around the school to watch for…I don’t know what…saw the class was outside without this little boy and lost it. He called the parents, who in turn called the head teacher and demanded the boy be let outside to play. She of course said no, that he was being punished. The parents threatened to remove the boy from this classroom to which the head teacher responded “Go ahead”. Calling their bluff, the parents retreated but this is a symptom of many children in our Chinese private school. They are all extremely coddled and given everything when if something happens and as teacher we try to correct behavior, we are accosted as being mean, treating the children unfairly and wasting the parents money (it should be noted we are the most expensive school in this province).

How to deal with this? I certainly have no idea. I met with another parent yesterday and told her that her son was developing at a very low level and was in fact not ready to move onto the next level (most teachers aren’t so upfront with Chinese parents, so I was taking a risk here). I told her that the constant babying of her son, allowing him to go home mid day so she can hold him over a bucket to poop (no, I’m not making that part up) has not only done emotional damage but social, interpersonal and physical. He doesn’t interact with any children, doesn’t play or show any interest in activities and never speaks to the teachers. She admitted that at home the father over does it and cares more about being a friend to this boy. This father also happens to be one of the wealthiest men in the city, as he is the owner of a major residential development business. He thinks he’s right and that any action taken to correct this boys behavior is necessary.

I’m certainly at my wits end at how to deal with Chinese parents who are wealthy beyond belief but seem to think the best way to raise children is to give them whatever they want, allow them to behave in whatever way they want and enforce zero discipline or rules on them. Six more months of this and I really do think my brain will implode.