Title: “Dennis The Menace”
Author: Clara Pérez
5 characters.
- Dennis: Very restless and misbehaved child.
- Teacher: Person who worries about Dennis’ behavior.
- Mom: Bad tempered woman who always thinks she is right.
- Dad: Passive man who ignores the words of Dennis’ mother.
- Psychologist: Person who channels the behavior of parents and child.
SINGLE ACT
Setting: Classroom
Introduction: Teacher is sitting with Dennis waiting for his parents.
Teacher (somewhat annoyed with Dennis): Dennis you didn’t do your homework again! What’s wrong with you?
Dennis (unconcerned, looking away and playing with his pencil): Nothing teacher, nothing is wrong with me, you are saying that I’m not well, I didn’t do my homework because I didn’t understand it.
Teacher: That’s not an excuse, Dennis, you could have asked your parents.
Dennis (smiling): My parents? Teacher, my dad comes home and my mom is waiting for him to start fighting, they don’t even look at me, they spend all day arguing about anything, my mom doesn’t need something serious to start fighting with my dad, and I’m going to ask them in the middle of a fight, about homework? Do you want my mom to stop fighting with my dad and start with me? No, thank you teacher!
Teacher (somewhat discomfited by the answer): Well, because you don’t do your homework, you fight with your classmates, you talk in class and you don’t obey, I called your parents and they must come today to talk to me.
Dennis (looking scared): Teacher, why did you do that? When we get home my mom will punish me, you don’t know my mom.
Teacher (looking resigned): I’m sorry Dennis, but if I don’t do something you’re going to lose the school year or end up being expelled from the campus, and you’re not a bad kid.
They knock on the classroom door and without waiting for an answer they open it, Dennis’ parents come in.
Dennis (very scared): Hi daddy, hi mommy
Mom: Good morning, Dennis, don’t even talk to me! Let’s see what you’ve done now, we had to stop doing our work to come and listen to you complaining.
Teacher (surprised): Yes, of course, go ahead, have a seat.
Dad (embarrassed): Good morning teacher, sorry we’re late, but here we are, what’s going on?
Teacher (settling into the seat): Nice to meet you, I called you because lately there have been some problems with Dennis at school. He’s fighting with his classmates, he doesn’t obey, he doesn’t obey rules, and he’s not studying or doing his homework.
Mom (annoyed): He’s not doing what? I send him to study every afternoon, but of course, if his father is a spoiler who gives him everything he asks for and puts up with everything… it’s your fault that this child is like that.
Dad (embarrassed with the teacher and looking at his wife): Honey, we didn’t come here to look for someone to blame, we have to look for a solution.
Teacher (nodding): Exactly, I called you so we can work together to find a solution to the child’s problem.
Mom (annoyed): Aren’t you supposed to be paid to make my child learn?
Teacher (even more surprised): That’s right, ma’am, but what your child learns at school must be reinforced at home, that’s why homework is assigned, and my job ends when they leave school. At home it is his parents who must help him.
Mom (with a reproachful tone): This is the last straw that because of you and the way you educate your son, the teacher comes to tell me how I should behave at home. I’m sick of all this! I am everything, I am the one who does everything….
Dad (interrupting): Love, please, what a shame with the teacher, are you going to start fighting here too?
Dennis (without stopping playing with his pencil): Like everywhere else.
Mom (furious): Dennis shut up, nobody asked you.
Teacher (giving up): I think this case is not in my hands to solve, I am going to refer you to the school psychologist, she will surely help you much more. Wait a moment and I will have her come. It was a pleasure to meet you gentlemen and I hope we manage to improve Dennis’ behavior.
The teacher leaves the classroom and Dennis’ mother is left arguing.
Mom (speaking while everyone remains silent): What a shame, what do we have to do with Dennis’ bad behavior? I can’t put him in my bag and take him everywhere, but that’s your fault; you spoiled him and now I have to show my face to get through this shame. What do I have to do with your son’s misbehavior?
Psychologist (who had arrived and was listening from the door): Good morning, ma’am, you have a lot to do with it. Nice to meet you, I am the school psychologist. And yes, I repeat, it has a lot to do with it! The teacher tells me that you have been fighting since you entered the classroom, I arrive and I find you fighting and blaming your husband. Your son has a problem, and it’s these constant fights. Your child is anxious, scared, fearful, needs attention, and has a lot of anger, this is because of the verbal violence you see at home. Do you still think it has nothing to do with your child’s behavior?
Mom (thinking what to say): We don’t always fight, but he always spoils him.
Psychologist (patient): No, ma’am, that behavior I just saw is what generates Dennis’ behavior, and if you want your son to grow up mentally healthy, I recommend that you attend the parenting school we offer at this school.
Dad: Do you see all the damage that fights cause to the child? Of course I do, Doctor, we are willing to do it.
Mom (not very agreeable): But it seems to me….
Dad (speaking with authority): It seems like nothing to you! We are going to enter that school of parents and it is the last word, there will not be an argument for that, is that clear?
Mom (surprised by the father’s attitude): Okay, yes we will.
Psychologist: I will give you the registration forms and I congratulate you, you have just made a very good decision. Parents’ fights hurt their children emotionally, and no parent wants to hurt their child. We go to my office and fill out all the requirements.
They all get up and leave the stage.
THE END