Remember how Marika had the playground trouble way back at the end of August/early September? We had told her to stay away and keep her distance, because the friendship didn't seem to be working out. We hadn't had any problems since then and figured it was over.
Apparently not. I was helping in Marika's classroom (in the back) last Tuesday when I heard the principal come and ask to speak to Marika. When she returned, I asked what it was about and she said it was about "the girl". Later that day, I finally got around to checking my messages and discovered that the principal had called both the home and cell phone in an effort to talk to me.
He said the school had been aware "for some time" that the girls weren't getting along and that since he had heard the other girl was struggling with this (she was confused as to why Marika would say she wasn't allowed to play with her) and had, a couple of times, told her parents that she didn't want to go to school because of it. He told me he had pulled each girl out of class to talk to her individually (both said the other had been mean to her, but THEY had not been mean) and then together, to ask if they could be nice to each other at school. They both said yes.
I then found myself on the defensive, explaining the course of events that had led to us advising Marika to stay away from her. He asked if I had witnessed anything, so I told him what I had seen and heard and asked if he had spoken to the yard monitor, who had dealt with both incidents. Much to my surprise, he had not (so I wondered how they had been "keeping an eye" on the situation). I found it ironic that I felt defensive and that I felt like *I* was the bad person, when we were simply reacting to how Marika had been maltreated and were trying to protect her. The principal also appeared to be very surprised when I told him how long ago the incidences had occurred. When I mentioned that I had kept a log, he asked that I bring it in.
Luckily, DaddyDude had the morning off the next day, so he came with me to the meeting, log in hand. The principal read it, reacted with some surprise when he read that the girl had admitted both times (to the yard monitor) she had done the offense, and then told us he would have advised his daughter to do the same thing - to stay away. I told him we were trying to put space and time between them, enough time for the kids to forget what had happened and hopefully - after enough time - to start again with a clean slate.
What I hadn't anticipated, though, was the impact of who this girl's mother was. Her brother is a teacher at the school - as well as his sister-in-law. The principal wondered if we would object to the girls being in the same class next year. This does make me nervous, although Daddy Dude was less nervous by the end of the meeting. The principal told us we had handled the matter "perfectly", that he would tell the other mother that it sounded like she had done "it" (meaning the spitting, I guess, because the mother had said, "that doesn't sound like my daughter"). He still hadn't spoken to the yard monitor - if she confirms my log (which she should, because she was totally flabberghasted that all of this was going on when it did), then that would be that.
However, I got the chills when I was around the other family the next day, when the school had its awards assembly. This entire matter could have easily been resolved, if one of the parents had simply approached us and said, "We're sorry, we had no idea that any of this had happened. We'll talk to her and try to make sure this never happens again." If this had happened, we would have been totally okay with the girls trying to play together again. However, this did not happen. Going on my personal vibes, I can only surmise that they must not believe what happened and therefore, by defalt, we must be lying. Well, that is their decision.
So, for the 7 days, I've had a huge headache. I felt so uncomfortable on Friday that the thought of transferring schools entered my mind. I guess we'll have to see how this goes, but I'm terrified that something is going to happen that ultimately affects my girls' academic performance at school. However, I know that transferring the girls (especially Mika) to another school would absolutely devastate them - they totally love it there.
We'll see how things go. I guess I just can't understand why they seem more upset than we are, when it was our kid that was the victim, right? Gosh, I really hate stressing over things I can't control... and letting enough time pass so it doesn't bother me so much... *sigh*... at least Marika has no idea that this is going on. But every other mother I talk to says they would have reacted the same way I did. Oh, well...
Patterned paper (Basic Grey), cardstock (Bazzill), flower (Prima), brad (Making memories), diecut journaling block (My Mind's Eye), rub-ons (Autumn Leaves, Scenic Route), pen (Sakura), border punch (Fiskars), staples (Swingline) 
