The bad kangaroo

There was a small Kangaroo who was bad in school. He put thumbtacks on the teacher’s chair. He threw spitballs across the classroom. He set off firecrackers in the lavatory and spread glue on the doorknobs.

“Your behavior is impossible!” said the school principal. “I am going to see your parents. I will tell them what a problem you are!”

The principal went to visit Mr. and Mrs. Kangaroo. He sat down in a living-room chair.

“Yes, I know”, said Mr. Kangaroo. “I enjoy putting thumbtacks in chairs”.

A spitball hit the principal on his nose.

“Forgive me”, said Mrs. Kangaroo, “but I can never resist throwing those things”.

There was a loud booming sound from the bathroom.

“Keep calm”, said Mr. Kangaroo to the principal. “The firecrackers that we keep in the medicine chest have just exploded. We love the noise”.

The principal rushed for the front door. In an instant he was stuck to the doorknob.

“Pull hard”, said Mrs. Kangaroo. “There are little globs of glue on all of our doorknobs”.

The principal pulled himself free. He dashed out of the house and ran off down the street.

“Such a nice person”, said Mr. Kangaroo. “I wonder why he left so quickly”.

“No doubt he had another appointment“, said Mrs. Kangaroo. “Never mind, supper is ready”.

Mr. and Mrs. Kangaroo and their son enjoyed their evening meal. After the dessert, they all threw spitballs at each other across the dining room table.

A child’s conduct will reflect the ways of his/her parents.

[By Arthur Lobel]