MATT SMITH spoke of Re: Too tired for school? to SHEILA KING on 01-01-97
MS>SK> -> A mother who said her "night owl" son does not like to go to
MS>SK> -> bed early was placed on 90 days probation because the boy was 
MS>SK> repeatedly
MS>SK> -> late for kindergarten.  Caroline Edens, an underwriter for an
MS>SK> -> insurance company, was charged with truancy.  The judge
MS>SK> ordered  her
MS>SK> -> to put her five-year-old to bed at a "proper time," wake him
MS>SK> -> and take him to class.  She also must take a parenting class. 
MS>    This case is an example of an improper role for a criminal court
MS>judge  if ever there was one, and also of a sentence that can achieve
MS>nothing.     Even if defendant Mommy puts Junior to bed at a "proper
MS>time", she  cannot make him go to sleep.  In reality, she cannot even
MS>keep him from  getting out of bed repeatedly without losing so much
MS>sleep herself that she  will then lose _her_ job and be even less
MS>capable of being a parent.
I rather like this judge.  This idea of kindergartners being repeatedly 
late to school as a result of being too tired because of late nights 
hits close to home.  Whose in charge here?  The kid or mom?  In my 
experiences with situations like this, it is often the child.  "He won't 
go to bed at night" some mothers will explain.  The child is late so 
often that I don't even mark them absent until after 11am (which is two 
hours late.)  
There is no easy answers for this type of problem.  I certainly don't 
think the judge is that far out-of-bounds  (at least in what he is 
_trying_ to accomplish here). What Mommy needs to do in this situation 
is to get junior on a routine and stick with it.  My own children went 
to bed at about 730pm when they were young elementary children.  We got 
them up early too.  Fed them a good breakfast each morning (brain food) 
and read them stories before bed.  The routine didn't change.  We (mom 
and dad) knew our responsibilities at night and the kids knew theirs.  
But I fear you are right here Matt....I don't think the courts can 
effectively "police" poor parenting skills.  Except in the case of 
extreme abuse and neglect, the courts may have better things to do with 
their time.  I have had conferences with parents about their child's 
attendance problems (I've have a similar situation again this year!).  
The best I can hope for is that through my gentile suggestions the 
parents will turn things around.  I have even called students at night 
and told them to get a good nights sleep because we were going to have a 
busy day tomorrow.
Fortunately, this problem, is few and far between (in my experience) and 
those that have had a tardy/absence problem have been receptive to my 
suggestions.  (Parents could tell me to buzz off....kindergarten is not 
mandatory in this state).
For what its worth...my .$02
 
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Dan Triplett Educator'sCn 01/02/97
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