Decoding Preschool - The Manipulative Teddy

At this point, when a post jumps out at me, I might as well accept it and just WRITE. In this particular instance, it came to me via Conner’s lunchbox.

It’s night time, and I’m emptying out his lunchbox so I can fill it in the morning, when I discover this:

From 2010-09-22

“What is that?”

Exactly.

And it’s a Manipulative Teddy, clearly.

“Nice, Amanda. But what is a “Manipulative Teddy?”

Google steps in: skillful in influencing or controlling others to your own advantage; “the early manipulative techniques of a three-year-old child”

WELL WELL WELL, GOOGLE. TOUCHE. But? He’s 5. Thanks.

“Ok. We get it, but really? WHAT THE HELL?”

Ok. Fine, y’all.

I admit, I have no damn idea what a Manipulative Teddy is. Is this some sort of “red light” failure? Was there actual maniupulation involved? Did he trick his teacher into buying crappy life insurance only for her to later force him to color said Teddy and then ‘X’ HIM OUT LIKE HE DIED? The coloring and the X’ing being the greater of all the evils.

Almost all life insurance is crappy. She should have known.

I asked Conner this morning if he knew what manipulation meant, and for the record, he scores above his age on vocabulary and understanding, but no, he did not know.

So, since Teddy came sans note, I’ll assume that it’s either a) a really odd art project? or b) a “your child has been warned”.

Either way, I’m keeping this one.