Sometimes you need to create your own stories, or at least put pen to paper. I have written the story below to both tell my own story, and to help my students tell theirs. The picture book version will be available soon.
A Gold Star
By: Melissa Giddis
I am so excited! Today my teacher gave me a gold star! I helped stop mean words on the playground. I reminded Betsy and Julia to use kind words. Maybe that can work at home too.
“I can’t wait to show Mommy and Daddy! They is going to be so happy!”
“They are going to be happy!” Teacher corrected it with a smile.
The bus ride home takes forever, it is the longest bus ride in the history of bus rides. There are so many people who have to get off the bus before my stop. I wonder if mommy and daddy will be happy?
I wish the bus would just stop at my house instead of going to the corner with the stop sign. The bus has its own stop sign right? Wait, what is that funny looking truck in the driveway?
“U-H-A-U-L,” Sounding out the funny looking word on the side of the truck isn’t easy. “U-H-A-U-L”
“It’s U-Haul, dummy.” I look over at the fourth grader who lives next door. Fourth graders think they know so much more than first graders.
“I’m not a dummy! You’re a meanie!”
“Whatever, dummy, but it looks like somebody's moving,” the bigger girl replies, and then she turns away.
I can’t do everything a fourth grader can do, but that doesn’t make me a dummy, does it? Teacher says I am smart. Teacher is way smarter than a dummy fourth grader, so why am I a little sad?
Finally,the bus is stopping at the corner. I need to wipe my tears away. Mommy and Daddy don’t need to see me sad. With my Rainbow Brite backpack (she’s the best) I am off the bus. As I put my backpack on my shoulder I look down and see my gold star from teacher. I am going to show Mommy and Daddy! They will be so proud. I do wonder what the funny truck is really for and why it is at my house.
Since the bus won’t stop at my house, I have time to decide what to say while I walk the rest of the way home.
I can say, ‘Guess what?’, or maybe I should let them see it on my shirt. Maybe we can go get ice cream, or even McDonald’s. Maybe even both, chicken nuggets and ice cream!
Oh no, mommy and daddy are angry again, I can hear them two houses away. Why are they angry? Why are they yelling? They seem to yell all the time. They argue about what to eat for dinner, and who would make it. They argue about who took out the trash last. They argue about money and who the money belongs to.
Daddy would sometimes say things like, “If you need to do what is best for you, go get your own job and make your own money.”
It is really bad after bedtime. That is when they argue the most. It makes it hard to sleep sometimes. At least I have Snowball.
Snowball is the bestest teddy bear. He is all white and so fluffy. Whenever I am sad or scared I can hug Snowball close and he makes me feel all warm inside. Snowball can even talk to me, but only me. When Mommy and Daddy argue at night, Snowball says, “It’s okay, I won’t leave you alone.”
At the end of the driveway, I see that Mommy is crying, and that Daddy is putting boxes inside the funny looking truck.
“How could you do this to me? To your children?” Mommy shouts.
“I have to do what is best for me, surely you know what that’s like. That’s what you keep telling me.” Daddy yells back.
Maybe I can help Mommy and Daddy. It worked with my friends on the playground today. Kind words and good news always make things better, right?
“Mommy! Daddy! Don’t be angry! I gots a gold star in school today!”
“That’s good sweetie.” Mommy says. Her voice sounds sad/happy.
Daddy doesn’t say anything, he just walks back into the house. When he comes back out, he has another box. This box has my name on it!
“Mommy, why is Daddy putting a box with my name on it in the truck?”
“We are going to live with Grandma for a little while, sweetie,” Mommy replied. “You, me and Bubba.”
“Why not Daddy?”
“Daddy is staying here.”
“I don’t understand, Mommy. Why isn’t Daddy going to live with us anymore?”
Mommy doesn't answer, she just walks toward the truck and checks Bubba’s car seat buckles.
“Daddy! Why aren’t you going to live with us anymore?” I ask. Daddy doesn’t even look at me, he just keeps going into the house and bringing out more boxes. The next few trips are things for bubba, like the little bouncing thing with the toys. He even brings out Bubba's diaper bag!
Wait! No! Daddy is carrying out Snowball!
“Snowball! My teddy bear!” I yell. Suddenly everything is all too real. Daddy knows I don’t stay overnight anywhere, even at Grandma’s without Snowball. We really are going away.
Without saying a word, Daddy puts Snowball in the front part of the truck, and turns towards me. He picks me up and buckles me into the truck.
“Daddy, please don’t make us go away! Please let us stay with you! Here! You can have my gold star!” I take the gold star off my chest and place it on Daddy’s shirt.
Daddy doesn’t even look at it, he just turns and walks toward the house.
“Please, Daddy, I don’t understand. What did I do wrong? Don’t you love me anymore? I promise I will be good, I will do everything you say! Please, Daddy, don’t make us go away! I love you!”
As I shout one more, “I love you, Daddy!” Daddy stops. Will he change his mind? Had he decided that we are going to get to stay? He then walks into the house and shuts the door. As the door closes, I see something falling to the ground, a gold star.
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