One day she is a normal citizen and the next day…..

SHE IS A FOURTH-GRADE SAFETY PATROL!!!

My 9 year old daughter is so pleased with her new status in the elementary school.  This special title (AND BADGE) is exclusively for “upper class men.” It comes with a clipboard.  Yes. A clipboard!

What is this clipboard for?

To take names of children who are talking too loudly, or running, or misbehaving in the hallways.

I always thought that was tattling and now my daughter was being told that this act was a great privilege.

“What are the consequences of having your name on the clipboard?” I asked my newly-badged 9 year old.

“Oh….nothing…the clipboard is just for us.  We don’t even turn it in.”

Hold on. Wait just a second. Seriously?

Clearly, the under class men are not aware of this little piece of information.  They are not aware of the fact that there are no consequences for misbehavior.

The girl in the badge…she is just there to scare you into behaving well. She is just a reminder to you that there are rules and you should follow them. But if you don’t….oh well.

Unless….

Unless someone bigger, taller, older, wiser….someone with a different sort of badge…a badge that says “Faculty” sees you misbehaving.  Then, there are consequences!

Maybe the fourth grade girl with the clipboard is a helpful reminder to keep yourself in check. To remain conscious of the rules so that you will not get yourself into trouble.

I wish we had little whistle-blowers (with no consequences) in life to keep us straight before we really get into trouble.  Maybe a little temperature gauge on our wrist to let us know when our temper is getting a little to heated. Maybe a little bell beside our ear to ring before we say something that we will later regret.  Maybe a trip mechanism on our shoe before we walk into a situation that could harm us.

I guess we do get those warnings.  They might be a little more subtle, but if we are paying attention we can fix things before the consequences are inevitable.  We know when our name goes on the clipboard it serves as a reminder to check our behavior.  Tomorrow the page will be blank and we will have a fresh start.

(This blog is dedicated to my brace-faced, super-beautiful, smart and thoughtful, badge-wearing fourth grade daughter.)