Let's Hope It's Not a Case of the Blind Leading the Blind

Earlier this year, The Man-Cub applied to be part of our school’s Pirate Mediator Program. A large number of students apply for a relatively small number of positions in the program each year so I was especially proud when the Cub was chosen for the honor by the selection team; the principal and a panel of teachers.

The guiding concept behind the program is to train students to be able to identify-and provide solutions for-problems between other students on the playground before they become large enough to require teacher intervention. The program entails a lot of training to teach leadership, mediation and problem-solving skills; training the Man-Cub has been participating in since the end of November.

Yesterday was his first day on the job, so to speak and; he assures me that the one case he had to mediate (two girls arguing over the monkey bars) ended in total success which I take to mean that no blood was shed, no hair was pulled and peace reigned over the playground.

So, my son is officially capable of mediating disputes, providing solutions to problems and stemming arguments before they can get out of hand and; I’m going to say the same thing I said when The Girl was appointed to be a Pirate Mediator when she was in elementary school: why, oh why, can they not apply those same skills to their relationship at home?

Mind boggling.