The Lunch Bag

I have a policy in my class, you leave your lunch bag two days in a row at school and it gets moved to my closet. When the child finally realizes that I have it, we make a trade. In the first week of school, I moved Agnes' lunch bag into the closet. Mind you we are now in the third week of school and until today she has yet to ask me about it.

I tried dropping subtle hints, but she never thought to ask me about her lunch bag. There wasn't even a can I go check the lost and found for my lunch bag? Today I decided to drop a subtle hint to the children, actually not so subtle, others were getting ready to join the same club as Agnes if they left their lunch bag another day. So, I say, "Okay boys and girls, just to let you know when you leave your lunch bag two days in a row Ms. J. will take it and put it in her closet, we can then work out a trade for you to get the lunch bag back."

The class instantly starts laughing, that is everyone except Agnes. "Ms. J. I do not understand why everyone is laughing."

I quiet down the class and fifteen minutes later as we are packing up to go home, I do another reminder about lunch bags. Agnes finally realizes that I have it. She walks up to me and says, "Ms. J. can I have my lunch bag?"

"That depends, what are you willing to trade for it?"

"Silent lunch."

"No, I don't really want you sitting in silent lunch over this," I said. In my mind I'm thinking Agnes really needs the time in the lunch room to socialize, so she will not socialize as much in class.

"Five dollars."

"No, I do not want money, how about stacking chairs for the week?"

Agnes does not even take a second to think before she responds, "No, you hold onto it, I have another one I am using."