Frat Daddy in Training, Lesson #3: Spin and Finesse

For reference, the first teacher that contacted me about Rufus's behavior has not caused us any trouble since the letter...notice how I skillfully turned that around and made the issue *her* problem and not our (Rufus's mouth's) problem...that's called spin.

So tonight, I go through the Tuesday folder looking at the tons of worksheets that have been completed in the last school week. Grades are acceptable until I get to the 77 on the science homework. Rufus had completed the front page but did not see/complete the back. I showed it to him, told him that he had to be more careful, and said that he should complete it anyway...that I would write a note so the teacher would see that he had at least done the work. "She most likely won't give you any credit," I said, "but at least she will know that we cared."

Rufus immediately took the paper...PAUSE: Now, let's interject here that Rufus never does anything I ask on the first request--three, four, five requests, all with increasing volume and jes-tick-u-lashuns are required....BACK TO STORY: and he immediately sat down to fill it in. That took him only about 30 seconds, and I stood with my hand out waiting to take it back so I could write the note. However, he didn't even look up, much less give me the paper. He immediately set out to write his own note, shown in this photo.

Here is a translation:
"I wrote the answers hoping you might have mercy once for the bad grade. Love, thank you, Rufus. P.S. I'll keep my hopes up because you're nice." That's called Frat Daddy Finesse, 7-year-old style.