There’s a boy in my group who we’ll call “Adam.” He’s a nice kid. Talks too much during study hall, and doesn’t always listen, so I end up putting him in time-out quite a bit, but overall he’s still a good kid.

Earlier in the school year some of the other kids started saying things like, “Adam likes Yuna!”

One day Adam and Yuna were walking next to each other. Yuna said something to him. I don’t remember what she said, but it wasn’t flattering.

Adam fired back. “Oh yeah?” he said. “I don’t like you.”

Some time later, as we were entering study hall, Yuna came to me and said, “Don’t make me sit next to Adam! He was digging his nose and playing with his boogers!”

Later, on the playground, I pulled Adam aside. I didn’t really know how to have this conversation, but I couldn’t just stand back and watch him suffer without at least trying to help him. “Adam,” I said. “Just to let you know…girls don’t like it when boys…um…play with their boogers.”

“I didn’t!” he said.

“Okay. I’m just…letting you know.”

More recently Yuna again said to me, “I don’t want to sit next to Adam!” She motioned with her hands that he’s the “nose-digger.”

“Yuna,” I said. “Stop being picky about where you sit. Besides I don’t think Adam does that anymore. ”