The Bob Phenomenon or What About Bob?

I have been noticing a trend in 5th grade for years now. I wonder, does anyone else see this happening in their room year after year? Do you see your kids having an unhealthy obsession with...Bob?

Not that Bob! But, while we are on the subject, isn't this a great movie!? Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm a schizophrenic and so am I. HA!

"What Bob?" you ask with eyebrows scrunched. Yes, my bloggy friends, Bob. Each year it starts with one little whippersnapper who thinks, naively that, in fact, they are the first inventor of "Bob." 

Once it was an empty desk that spurred the "Bob Phenomenon" or hereafter referred to as "the BP".  A student was on my role at the beginning of the year. The desk was all ready for him, nametag and all, and then the kid never showed. I hoarded the desk thinking that I would need it later. I also never removed the tag. The kids started chastising anyone who used the desk, saying that the visitor, principal, parent, or whoever was using the desk, was sitting on Bob. They left a space for him in line even! Bob were they disappointed when that kid finally showed up in February and claimed Bob's desk which had been labeled "Colton" for months!

Another year Bob showed up in stick figure cartoons. That kid also said that he was the first to make those kind of cartoons too. That's a whole other 5th grade phenomenon!

Yet another year Bob was the cool nickname for your friends. We had variations like Billy Bob and Joe Bob and Bobby Joe and Kaylee Bob and Silly Bob. Too many to count. 

This year Bob has showed up again. The BP is in it's infancy. Too early to tell what Bobness I am in store for. I will look on, quietly logging stories to embarrass this class with when they are high school seniors. 

Do you notice the BP with your class. Is this just a 5th grade thing? 

I would love to hear from you about your own BP/weird kid behavior. 

And I leave you with an awesome quote from What About Bob?

You think he's gone? He's not gone. That's the whole point! He's never gone! -Dr. Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss)

Toodles from your Teacher Friend,