“The Right Way” By: Kara Zielinski

No we played that yesterday. I want to play jump rope. If we go outside first, we can play hopscotch. Yea we can play with rocks and roll them on there. Let’s ask Ms. T if we can use 2 of them to make it long. Then we can all play if 2 twirl and 2 jump. We can play Teddy Bear then!

Girls, are you eating all of your lunches? Your parents gave you all that food for a reason, so I don’t want you to throw any of it away. Yes we’re eating. But Ms. T, can we use the jump ropes today at recess? We want to play Teddy Bear! No girls. I told you last week you can’t tie 2 jump ropes together because we only have 2 jump ropes and the other kids won’t get a chance to play with them. But what if we played with… Not buts! You can only use 1 jump rope and you have to play with it the right way.

I was going to ask Ms. T the rules about using our own stuff. I brought my new purple jump rope from home. Well we don’t have to use the school’s jump rope because we can use yours. But what if we used mine and one of the school’s? I wanted to ask Ms. T but she was being mean. She just said we can’t use two from the school. Well at least we get to play with one of them! But then more people can’t play. O yea! I didn’t know you brought it to school today!

Everyone clean up your tables. Put your trash in the garbage can. I will dismiss each table one-by- one once it is clean and everyone is seated quietly.

Boys, you may go. This table is clean so you may go.

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear turn around. Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear touch the ground. Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear…

I thought I told you girls you could only use one of the jump ropes. But the purple one is mine from home. Okay then. But you better play with them the right way. I have no problem taking them both away. I don’t care whose it is.

Oh. Kara’s out. Now it’s my turn. But I want to do something else. This is boring. Want to play Helicopter? I don’t know. Last time Breanna got in trouble for doing that. Well we will only play with one of the jump ropes. Ms. T will be happy if we give the other one to someone else. Let’s just play! We’re in the corner so we can stop when she comes. Ok but make sure she doesn’t see us.

OWW!

Josh, are you OK? Go to the nurse to get cleaned up. You will not get to play for the rest of recess! I’m keeping that jump rope for now. Now someone’s jump rope is stuck in the fence. Girls, go sit against the wall! I told you to play with the jump rope the right way! That means you jump rope and people twirl it. That doesn’t mean you spin it in circles! What did I tell you girls? Huh? You didn’t follow the rules and now Josh is hurt. You girls should have known better!

I do NOT want to see you playing that again! It’s NOT safe. OK Girls. It’s time to go inside.

From then on, I played with the equipment “the right way” because I didn’t want to get my friends in trouble, I didn’t want to hurt anyone, and I didn’t want my things to get taken away again. The End