Family Matters: 3rd family (Robehouse)

[Ishigreensa]

"Then you will probably do alright in the next class.  The teacher is pretty strict though.  You usually have to come up with a topic on Monday, have a rough draft by Wednesday to be checked by two students, and then have a second draft by Friday to be checked by the teacher, and a final paper will be due by the next Monday."

"Well, I hope you are all ready to turn in your final copies of... 'I am a cat'."

He then started to talk about resume writing.

"You may not realize this, young people, but things are getting more and more competitive in life.  If you want to be successful, you need to know how to write for success."

He wrote out a sample resume.

Name: Example Charley

And he gave Charley some skills that fifth graders could relate to.  He could read fluently, do simple calculations, and then there was room for them to write more.

"What else does a typical fifth grader know how to do?" he asked the class getting a discussion going.

In time, Charley had a boat load of fifth grade skills and two or three specialized personal skills.

"Now, I want each of you to think about what you know how to do, and sell it to your reader.  Make it look important, and if it helps, write this resume as though you are applying for a Middle School Student position.  May I hint that sixth graders definitely need to know how to do basic math."

Then he set them off trying write resumes.

[robehouse]

Lacey listened to the teacher, and then the other students giving examples. When it was time to write her own resume, she took a paper out and wrote her name at the top. She tried to think of skills she had that would fit in with what was expected.

"Works well with others". "Listens well and follows orders." "Can do math up to times tables.". Lacey wrote these down and showed them to Denise.

"What else can I put down?" Lacey asked.

[Ishigreensa]

Denise thought a minute, and then she got an evil idea.

"Do you potty your pants all the time?" she asked.  "If not, maybe you can put potty trained...."

She smiled.

"I don't know you that well, but I'm going to put down that I've dance in ballet, that I understand why we fought a war a long time ago to break away from England and again to help people throw off slavery."

She smiled again at Lacey.

[robehouse]

Lacey blushed but put "potty trained." Down on the list. Technically that was correct. 

"Those are good points, but I don't want to copy your answers." Lacey said.

"How many points do we need?" Lacey asked.

[Ishigreensa]

"The more, the better," Denise said.  "Do you know how to get lunch in a line at school?"

She was having fun suggesting things that maybe even first graders need to learn, and definitely babies were still working on.

She smiled at her 'baby' friend.

[robehouse]

Lacey nodded and wore it down.

"How about I'm a good helper? If someone needs help and I can help them, I do it?" Lacey asked.

[Ishigreensa]

"That sounds good," Denise encouraged her as she wrote down that she was good at computers herself.

"Well, okay, let me check yours and you can check mine.  Maybe we each missed something?"

[robehouse]

Lacey nodded and took Denise's list and handed her her own. She looked over Denise's list.

"I can't think of anything you missed." Lacey finally said.

[Ishigreensa]

Denise smiled at her answer, but she took a lot longer to look at Lacey's list, thinking hard about what she could have her put down for more skills.

"Can you write on lined paper, and stay in the lines?" she asked aloud.  "How about quietly following directions when the teacher is talking?"

She thought some more.

"Can you speak up if you need to pee during class?"

She handed back her paper.

"I guess that's about it...."

"So, do you speak up in class when you have to pee, or do you need my help so you don't wet your pants all the time?" she asked remembering what happened to her earlier.

[robehouse]

Lacey thought about it and nodded.

"I stay inside the lines most of the time, and I follow directions if I understand them." Lacey said.

"Most of the time." Lacey answered.

 

 

[Ishigreensa]

"Most of the time, what?  You need my help, or you can ask the teacher on your own?" Denise raised an eye at her.

She smiled and sighed.

"I think we are ready."

 

[robehouse]

"I guess I need your help." Lacey said.

Lacey nodded and set her paper on her desk.

[Ishigreensa]

"Oh, then you should erase potty trained," Denise told her.  "If you need my help, then you are hardly potty trained, I am afraid to say.  Don't worry.  I won't let anyone be mean to you about it.  But you do need to be honest on these, okay?"

She rubbed her back.

"We're friends, right?  You can tell me if you are not potty trained, if you pee the bed or anything else.  I won't ever ever let anyone call you a baby or be mean to you just because you have some wetting problems."

[robehouse]

Lacey blushed but did as Denise told her and erased it off the paper.

"Uh-huh," Lacey answered, blushing.

[Ishigreensa]

Denise smiled.

"Since you need my help all the time, I'll expect your panties to be wet when I take you to the bathroom, when I ask the teacher if I can take you.  And at recess, I'll start taking you even if you didn't ask, to make sure you get a chance to go, and I'll check if you are wet, okay?"

She whispered this because she didn't want anyone else to realize she was planting the idea that Lacey should get her panties damp before she goes potty, and she also wanted Lacey to trust her and think that was trying to help her protect her little wetting secret.

[robehouse]

Lacey frowned as Denise talked to her, but nodded.

"Alright, I'll do that." Lacey agreed.

[Ishigreensa]

Denise frowned and looked at her innocently.

"Do what?" as though not acknowledging that the wetting in her panties would be something that Denise told her to do, rather than what Lacey just does.

She smiled.

"You have trouble going potty on your own, right?  It's okay," Denise whispered to her.  "Just don't lie to me about having trouble, though.  I don't mind if your panties are wet, but I do mind being made a fool of."

[robehouse]

"Wet in my panties before you take me to the bathroom." Lacey answered 

"Okay." Lacey said.

[Ishigreensa]

Denise frowned.

"You mean on purpose?  Ew!  No.  I thought you really needed help," she whispered.  "Big girls in fifth grade don't just potty their pants on purpose, do you?"

She frowned.

"You have wetting accidents because you are a little intimidated by the new school or because you are a fragile little girl, but if you pee on purpose, just ew!"

She waited.  Of course she wanted Lacey to pee her pants, on purpose, even, but just not acknowledge she was doing it on purpose, not even for her.

[robehouse]

Lacey frowned and shook her head.

"Of course not. I'm not a baby." Lacey insisted.

"I know that. I didn't mean on purpose." Lacey replied.

[Ishigreensa]

Denise smiled.

"Okay, then."

She put her hand on Lacey's shoulder and looked into her eyes.

"Make sure you tell me as soon as your panties start getting wet if you want to make it to the potty before anyone notices you are peeing."

[robehouse]

Lacey sighed and nodded.

"Okay." Lacey agreed.

[Ishigreensa]

Eventually, writing class was over, and the teacher walked around to see what a start they had.

"Okay, you may want to add more to these at home.  I want them ready for peer-editing by Wednesday."

Denise smiled and whispered to Lacey.

"If I can come to yours tonight, I'll help you finish it early so you won't have to worry about it."

Then the teacher started to have them get math books out.

[robehouse]

Lacey listened to the teacher and nodded.

"I don't know. I'll have to ask my mom or uncle Scott. I would like that though." Lacey said.

Lacey took out her math book and set it on her desk.

[Ishigreensa]

"I'll ask my mom to call your Uncle," Denise said.  "My mom and dad know your uncle pretty well, so I'm sure they can convince him that you need friends around you."

She smiled and turned to her math book.

Mr. Wilcox came over and smiled at the girls.

"You two are not talking the whole class period, are you?" he chuckled at them.  "Pay attention to the front, please."

Lacey #1 o