Reading Buddies

**I just made the decision today to make my blog mostly about the crazy funny things that happen in my classroom at Center Point Elementary. The tale that I am about to tell has become a classic, especially with my family, so I figured I needed to make sure it was included. **

Back in the fall during Read Across America Week, we had a special day where the kids could bring a stuffed animal or "Reading Buddy" to school for the day. Now you would think that most 5/6 year olds would have some sort of very cute and cuddly animal or doll to bring to school, and for most of my class, that was the case. However, one of my precious little ones broke the mold just a little bit.

As I was walking into the gym that morning to pick them up, the teacher that was on bus duty caught my eye as soon as I walked in the room, and her look told me that something ridiculous was happening. I got over to her and she said "Look at what one of your kids is holding." And sure enough, there he is cradling..... A Chucky doll. That's right, Chucky of motion picture, mass murdering fame. I didn't even know what to say. All of the other kids in my class looked terrified, including my "difficult" child, who has said things a lot scarier than Chucky.

We get back to the room, and as the plan was to let them keep their buddies at their seat, I couldn't very well leave this child out, so Chucky came to Kindergarten. All day, all of the other children were eyeing this doll as if any moment he was going to come alive and torture them. And honestly, I don't blame them. And the funniest part was that the child that brought it treated the doll like any other child would treat a baby doll or stuffed animal, hugging it and playing with it.

I, of course, immediately instant messaged all of my co-workers to tell them what this child had brought to school, and they all wanted to see it for themselves, so I let him bring Chucky to lunch. We showed him to the other teachers and then just put him on the table. I noticed that one of my girls was not eating her lunch but just looking at the doll. I asked her if she was ok and she responded "Miss Teegarden, that doll is makin' me itch."

It was an eventful day.