Major Teacher Voice

Hailey’s story…I wish I would have taken pictures!

Let me start by clarifying that I work in a clinic where lots of families come in and out of our office on a regular basis. Our waiting room has couches, coloring books, a chalkboard, books, movies, magazines etc. I come out and greet my kid/their family then take him/her to my office for 25 minutes of one-on-one speech therapy, then the last 5 minutes is for showing Mom (or Dad or Grandma or Grandpa or Aunt or whomever brings the kid) our work, how to practice at home, homework etc.

Our clientele consists of children with speech and language disorders, children with Autism, children with mental limitations, children with physical limitations; we have 1 year olds all the way up to 86 year olds…NEVER, NOT ONCE have we EVER had someone write on the walls maliciously. (Occasionally a 2 year old colors on the wall near the coloring table.)

Imagine my surprise when I realize my 4 year old client’s 10 year old cousin wrote on our lobby walls (inside the bldg!): “HAILEY WUZ HERE” with a smiley face and its tongue sticking out, as well as “40.” -- Eight inch letters – Green crayon -- across the wall – did I mention it was inside our lobby?! Inside!

I actually didn’t go into that part of our waiting room until after she left...so, I called my kids’ mom who gave me the grandmother’s cell phone number and left a message for g.ma that sounded something like this:

“Hi, This is Ms. Amy from Speech, I was just calling because it appears Hailey has written on our walls…I know this because it says “Hailey wuz here.” I didn’t know what you had in mind: if you would like for Hailey to come clean it up or if you would like her to write a letter to the owners of our clinic apologizing. Either way, please let me know your plan. Our number is….” (gutsy huh? – btw - I am not very confrontational, but I was mad!)

She called back and arranged for Hailey to come clean it up at 6:30.

At 6:45, Hailey and g.ma come in.

I say “Hailey, did you write on our walls?”

And she said flippantly “oh, yeah.” (my jaw was hanging open!)

“Well, Hailey, I am sad you made that choice, but I am glad you made a good decision to come clean it up. I am going to need you to clean up the HAILEY WUZ HERE and the 40 and the spot that some kid followed your example and colored on the wall too.”

“I didn’t do the 40”

(it was also in eight inch letters and in green crayon, so I basically knew she did it) “Well, I am going to need you to clean it up anyways, since you set the example and you are 10 and not 2 or 3 years old.”

“Well, I didn’t do it.”

“Okay, Please clean it up anyways” (I was actually pretty calm up until this point.) “Let me know if you need some help reading the instructions on that cleaning bottle.”

(I start to leave her to clean…)

And she says in the most ridiculous tone: “It doesn’t say 40 anyways; its says “YO”!”

(smoke starts coming out my ears)

**Major Teacher Voice** “Hailey, can I talk to you?” (she turns to look at me)

And I continue…”It makes me really sad that you made a poor choice to color on the walls. Even the 4 year olds that come here, don’t do that. BUT, it INFURIATES!! me that you just lied to my face.” (I am fuming here!)

“No, I didn’t”

“Yes, YES, you did. You said TWICE that you didn’t write the 40 but then you said that it didn’t say 40 but it said “Yo” - meaning you did write it because you knew what you intended for it to say.”

“No, I didn’t”

“Yes, YES, you did, you said….I repeated the above story…

“I didn’t lie…”

“Yes, you just lied to my face and that makes me really sad for you and the rest of your life if you’re a liar.”

“Well that’s not what you asked…”

“Hailey, I am going to need you to apologize.”

“I didn’t…”

“Hailey, I need you to say “I am sorry for lying”

“But”

“Haley, you lied to me.”

(mumbling) “I’m sorry.”

“Thank you. Let me know if you need any help reading the instructions on the cleaning products.”

In the end, I let her grandmother know that I questioned Haley’s sanity…I mean, really, we have kids with all sorts of diagnoses that don’t do that kind of stuff!

-- and anyways, what kind of a criminal “tags” their own name? I would have at least written “MegPed WUZ here” or something….