Green and Red

I guess these words are associated with traffic lights which we normally see.  But I found out that in Ben’s classroom these colors are associated with good and bad behavior.  Apparently if you do well in class you get a green card, or if you have good behavior, you get a green card.  I vaguely remember this when Norah went to that same pre-k school.  Now that I think about it, Norah always got a ton of these green cards in her bag.  To be honest I had no idea what the heck all these green cards were doing in Norah’s bag a few years ago.  I never asked, and I never really cared all that much. 
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But now I know what those little green cards were about!  And I found out through Ben! 

One day after school, Ben and I are in the car chatting about his day and I couldn’t help notice that He always seems to hug one girl every day when he leaves.  So I asked about who he keeps hugging.  He told me her name was Natalie and that he loves her.  Oh boy…  So I asked more about his “relationship” and he told me that Natalie is really nice and really fun.  Then he says that she always gets “green” cards.  So I asked, what’s that all about?  And he told me that if you are a good kid, listen to the teacher, and do what you are supposed to do then you get green cards.  And then he tells me that if you are bad then you get a red card.  Ben proceeded to tell me that Natalie always gets green cards.  So I said, “Ah, like you get green cards too!”  I didn’t expect the answer from Ben, or lack of answer.  It was total silence.  Then I asked him if he gets red cards, and he answered, “Yes.”  Hmm… I said, “But you also get green cards too, right?”  And He answered, “Sometimes.” 

I just started to laugh a little.  It doesn’t seem like he thinks too much when he gets green cards or red cards.  Which is fine.  I don’t think he needs to feel bad about anything, or really care.  But I am happy that He likes a “good” girl and that the “good” girl seems to like him.  I can’t imagine that Ben would get so many red cards, but I am also not too surprised that he might get a red card occasionally.

Maybe, the teacher needs to figure out a different system other than green and red cards, because it doesn’t seem to bother Ben what-so-ever!  I dunno. 

Also, I don’t think Ben knows what “love” means.  However, I think he knows he likes this girl a lot.  She gives him pretty pictures and he goes home motivated, grabbing crayons and a piece of paper, drawing a bunch of hearts on it.  And wakes up, excited to give Natalie this drawing, first thing in the morning, totally ignoring the teachers and other kids. 

Don’t think I need to tell him about what it means to “love” someone but I do want to tell him that I am glad he likes someone so much and that it is important to him.  I also want him to know to be a gentleman.  I don’t think it’s too early for that.  Things so as having good manners, open doors for people, say “thank you’s,” and ask for things politely, never bully someone, and don’t be bullied around.  Stand up for yourself and stand up for others who may feel powerless.

And I’d like to tell him to reduce as much as possible in getting red cards.  That be nice. 
 

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