While the Cat's Away...
The Discipline Diaries #74
Pictured above, are (probably) my two least favourite things; Lines and the Senior Cane - which makes the other kind of lines(!)
Don’t get me wrong, both have their uses, I’m not knocking either but I much prefer to keep both of these things, at the very least, two arm’s lengths away.
However, both get so very much closer when one’s disciplinarian (or two) is off duty for whatever reason. The longer the absence, the higher the chance of one or both of these unpleasantries coming to pay a visit.
That old adage: ‘While the cat’s away the mice will play,’ sounds like great fun - I can almost see the little mice dancing with glee, however the reality simply isn’t the same.
If the playing that happens whilst the cat is away is totally without consequence, then fair enough, fill your boots little brown mouse!
However, in the context of a discipline relationship - professional or otherwise - this is very rarely the case.
Recently, my primary pro disciplinarian was away for a relatively long holiday (or vacation as you Yanks would have it), and I was so concerned about the amount of trouble I could very easily rack up in the that time, that I actually called in a substitute.
Gone are the days when I fancied myself up against a cricket score!
They do say that one becomes more conservative with age, or perhaps I ought to really push the boat out and say ‘refined’? Then again, maybe not.
Is ‘chicken’ more appropriate?
Anyway, I care not a jot. My chief worry was actually not undoing all of the good work that I’ve been doing lately. Disciplinarians provide consistency and that is priceless when one is looking to use discipline in order to leverage better performance.
The flip side, is that when that consistency is withdrawn or temporarily suspended, things can go south and alarmingly quickly. So, make sure your subs bench is always packed with talent - you never know when you’re going to need to call on it.
Easier said than done but you’ll only experience the kind of disaster that can befall one whose disciplinarian has gone AWOL once in a lifetime before resolving to ensure that that never happens again, that’s for sure.
The chasm that is left is a potent threat indeed and not something to be neither underestimated nor patronised. (Did I get that one correct, Mr. Woodley, sir?)
I once described a favourite teacher/disciplinarian of mine as a sea anchor (I promise you that that was a huge compliment, no matter how it sounds) and I meant it. The really good ones play a critical role in one’s personal and/or professional development and the temperance that they provide us spirited ones with, is quite literally invaluable.
I hate the unease that the cat being away brings and the tacit threat that it proffers - I genuinely prefer to be proffering something else!
Part of me wonders whether or not they might be a touch affronted if you don’t go a bit feral whilst they are away and the other part of me thinks the opposite - like the proverbial classroom teacher that comes back from a leave of absence and reads the class the riot act because of the appalling behaviour displayed towards the cover supervisor (as if they could really expect anything else!)
Or, are disciplinarians really genuinely annoyed that their charge couldn’t keep their shiz together whilst they were on holiday? Does that in any way reflect upon the abilities of said disciplinarian?
Hopefully, one or two real life disciplinarians will leave us their answers in the comments section?
I shall be watching with keen interest!
Suffice to say, I didn’t do anything mental this time around but being able to call on a talented substitute was an enormous advantage (highly recommended) and none of this will help me on Sunday when I’m before the HoH up on a lateness charge and yet another for rudeness.
It’s going to be a bruising weekend despite the best laid plans of mice and men!
Best (s)Wishes,
Jacqui James
Live-Lash-Love
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