When I forget....

So there's this girl in my class who drives me up the wall. Constantly disruptive, disobedient, mean and rude to myself and others, always needs my attention. And today is her birthday. And all the behaviors that she normally engages in were ten times worse today, resulting in her sitting in the office the majority of the morning.

It's to the point, two days before vacation, that I don't even want to look at her. I'm so frustrated I don't know what to do with her anymore. I've moved her seat (at her request), I've made her stand in the hallway while everyone else does fun things, I've kept her after school, sent her to detention. Nothing works. And I felt like the biggest witch this morning marching her down to the office on her birthday. But what else can I do when no one else in my class can work or think with her around?

So I'm watching her today, after spending the whole morning in the office and then going to lunch and recess, coem back in my room and start the same noisy, disruptive behavior. On her birthday. And God reminds me to ask, "What must it be like to be this little girl?" So miserable all the time. So angry about something that she has to make everyone around her miserable, too. She hardly ever smiles. I've never heard her laugh. What kind of life is that?

I forget sometimes to think about kids like that; but when I remember it makes me want to keep working at it...yes, I will probably still have to take her to the office, and kick her into the hallway most days of the week...but I'll keep trying new things, try to find something that works with her. And even if it doesn't work, at least I can sleep at night knowing that I'm trying...