Since when did I hire the school to decide how to parent for me? I just got back from our group parent-teacher conference for the second trimester. We reviewed report cards. He's doing great in school. Wonderful!

Then the teacher explains the school's new pyramid system that they're starting to institute this week. Each kid gets a pyramid. K and 1st only have 2 levels - self control and responsibility, 2nd - 5th has 6 levels. If a teacher or playground aide (the same ones who aren't noticing or doing anything when my 5 year old is getting bullied by 9 year olds) sees them doing something, the corresponding piece of their pyramid gets taken away until it's earned back. Periodically, they will have something called "5 minutes of fun" where the kids get to play a game or something in the middle of the day, or a teacher from another class will come in and hand out treats. But, if you're missing part of your pyramid, you have to go sit in the back of the class and can't participate. And, she explained, if they have a kid that often loses parts of their pyramid and says they don't care, then she's supposed to take them outside the door while the other kids are enjoying it while she watches the fun and talks about how much fun they're missing.

She tells us that they bought this system out of their budget and there will be a night when all the parents can come in and we can get the system explained to us and the guy who came up with it will give us the materials to institute it in our own households if we want.

Then, practically the next thing out of her mouth was that they have to cut the "Meet the Masters" part of the art program because they don't have the budget for it.

Arrrgh!