Getting Whupped!

I'm finding that having morning bus duty can be enlightening. I greet the children as they first walk into the school from the buses. Then another teacher and I watch over the children in the gym and try to maintain some semblance of order and routine for 10 minutes before the bell rings for the children to go to their classes.

This morning, a kindergartener came in crying. Her older sister had her arms around her. I asked, "What's wrong?"

Older sister: "Her back's hurting bad."

I bent down to talk to the kindergartener. "How did you hurt your back."

Older sister again: "She wouldn't get out of bed and Mama whupped her."

"No," the kindergartener corrected her, "Mama set me down hard and hurt my back."

I sent her immediately to the clinic and talked with the guidance counselor. You just never know what kids are dealing with when they come to school.