hola, isabel

When I picked Babboo up from school a few weeks ago I asked his teacher if she was having a problem with him screaming constantly during the day.

“Screaming? No he’s a little angle.”

“Excuse me? He doesn’t scream anytime he has to share a toy or eat a food item that’s not to his liking?”

“No. He’s actually a very good sharer and eater.”

Whatever.

When I picked him up the following day she pulled me aside to talk to me. Apparently she’d been giving what we had talked about a little thought. She then told me that out of all the kids in his class, Babboo seems to respond the best to the Sticker Chart. She said it’s what keeps him happy and in line.

“Please tell me more of this ‘Sticker Chart’ you speak of.”

Apparently if one of the students goes an entire day without any time-outs they get to put a sticker on their chart for that day. When they’ve earned five stickers they get to choose a prize out of the teacher’s treasure box (which sounds dirty, but isn’t). She said Babboo always has the most stickers.

A light went off in my head.

I will make a sticker chart.

And my child will no longer scream when eating a burrito and the meat falls out, or when eating a pancake and the syrup isn’t on every possible part of the pancake. Or when we tell him he has to go to bed. Or take a shower. Or pee standing up.

Dear Lord. Please let this Sticker Chart thingy actually work.

So, while I made the Sticker Chart and located some actual stickers, The King was in charge of buying some toys for our personal treasure box. (again, am I the only one that thinks that sounds dirty?) The King came home with a couple of different little Playmobil pirates. (Our entire family is a little obsessed with Playmobil. You have to agree that they are super cool.)

Babboo and I decorated a treasure box (giggle) with glitter, googly eyes and drawings. While he and I were decorating it we discussed with him how his Sticker Chart at home was going to work (basically the same as the one at school). He seemed very excited. Especially after seeing what his choice of prizes was.

Day One: Received Sticker

Day Two: Received Sticker

Day Three: Received Sticker

Day Four: Didn’t Receive Sticker (we had burritos for dinner, and his meat and beans fell out of the shell.)

Day Five: Received Sticker (and we even had pancakes for breakfast that day!)

Day Six: Received Sticker

And so, last night, Babboo was able to get inside his treasure box (giggle, giggle) and pick a new pirate. After laying them all out and looking over what accoutrement’s each came with, he chose Mr. Flag.

I’m sure you’re saying, “Who the heck is Mr. Flag?” (Okay, you probably aren’t saying that. Just play along, umkay?)

That’s right, Babboo has taken it upon himself to name the majority of his pirates. Most of them have completely normal names like Steven and Kevin. And some have odd names like The Sexy Pirate. Kevin was the first one to be named. (Kevin’s the one with a peg-leg, FYI.) We have no idea how the Sexy Pirate became so sexy, but he was named secondly. (The Sexy Pirate has a bow tie. The King and I have concluded that is what sets him apart from the other pirates and makes him so darn sexy.) And yes, there are two named Batman. (Babboo has yet to explain that one to us, so we just go with it.) For months The King and I thought “Whirlwind” was actually named “Rowen”. We just figured out what his real name was last week.

You’ll note the pirates in the background (you know, in the pirate ship). Those pirates don’t have names. I’m not sure that they ever will. It’s not that Babboo doesn’t like them. I think it just takes all of his mental energy to remember the ones that do have names.

Maybe tomorrow I’ll post pictures of the pirates, sans names, and we can vote on what their names should be. I’m sure the interweb could come up with some mighty fine names for his pirates.