When Girls Attack

Yes, school started here in LNJ this week. Various districts started at various times over the last couple of weeks. N's school was one of the last to start. N has mixed feelings about school, but I think overall he's more happy than sad to be back in school.

Reasons N is happy that school has started:

1. He gets to spend less time with W.


2. He loves the social aspect of school.


3. He has a true desire to learn, particularly when it comes to science and social studies.


4. He's a fourth grader now so he's in the "big kids" wing of the school.

Reasons N is sad that school has started:

1. Homework.


2. He has less free time.


3. He not only ended up in the same classroom as the girl who's "in love" with him who he cannot stand, but she sits right next to him and looks at him all day.

N has had trouble with this one girl ever since he started school here last year. She has been somewhat stalkerish with him in the way only elementary school girls can. She sends him notes telling him she loves him. She stares at him constantly. She follows him around on the playground proclaiming her love for him. He said he liked her for about two days when he first met her, but then he found out that her personality wasn't good, and he has been annoyed by her ever since.

Things kind of came to a head last year when the girl's parents talked to the principal about their daughter's complaints that N was being mean to her. The parents, having heard only her side of things, were under the impression that N was saying "mean things" (I have never learned specifically what he was alleged to have said) to her. Fortunately, their teacher was well aware of the situation, having confiscated a number of notes that Miss Hotpants had tried to pass to N during class and having witnessed the behavior of both children in the classroom and at recesses. According to the teacher, N tried to stay away from Miss Hotpants, and had, on occasion, told her to "Go away!" and "Leave me alone!" This apparently became N being mean to her when she told her parents about N. When all was said and done, it was determined that N was more victim than perpetrator in the situation, and when the teacher informed us of what happened it was with apologies that N had been accused and assurances that she was taking steps to keep N and Miss Hotpants away from one another.

So now, this year, not only is Miss Hotpants once again in N's classroom this time she is in the seat right next to him. I told him that if he would like me to talk to his teacher about the situation so that she might move them away from one another he told me he didn't want me to do that. I told him I will respect his wishes, and that he is welcome to come to me at any time for my assistance with the issue. Having been a lovestruck young girl myself at one time I have some sympathies for Miss Hotpants. On the other hand, at that age I usually stayed lovestruck for only a matter of weeks before someone else became the object of my affections so I'm a little surprised at the persistence this girl has. I understand though. I think N is totally cool too. I'm just surprised there aren't more girls fawning over him. Maybe Miss Hotpants has scared them away.