Time Out Needs A Time Out

(My mom teaches preschool, and one of her little boys is quite a handful – he has been neglected by his foster parents in the past, and has behavioral and anger issues as a result. This happens one day at snack time.)

Mom: “[Boy], do you want milk or water?”

Boy: “Milk!”

Mom: “Sure, honey. What’s the magic word?”

Boy: “NO!”

Mom: “Oops. That’s not right. Let’s try again. Remember the magic word, [Boy]?”

Boy: “THE MAGIC WORD IS ‘I WANNA GET MILK!'”

Mom: “[Boy]. We talk nicely to our friends. I think you need a time-out.”

Boy: “Fine. Ima go in time-out. I don’t need milk. Ima just sit here.”

(He sits in the time-out corner, with his arms crossed and his bottom lip out.)

Boy: “Ima just sit here, b****in’ and mopin’. And you gonna have to listen to all my b****in’ and mopin’. Sad thing. You a sad thing, teacher. That’s a sad thing.”