How to avoid being "that" kind of parent

As a parent, I always wanted the best for my children.  That meant hoping they'd get the "best" teacher in the grade level during the lottery that occured in August.  If they didn't get what everyone in the PTA considered the "best" teacher, I didn't reveal this information to my girls.  We simply went with the flow.  And you know what?  Because of their personalities, we seldom had a problem. 

However, there are those parents who tthink it is their patriotic duty to confront teachers when they feel that their little Elroy has been wronged somehow.  The review sheet did not include something that appeared on the test or in the format in which it was tested?  What?  The teacher gave a pop quiz and he failed it?  Aren't we teachers trying to instill adaptability with our curriculum?  Yes, these scenraios really happened and I won't reveal the source, but some parents can get in their children's education so deeply that they lose sight of the fact that kids need to learn from their mistakes.

When I was teaching, I had a sign on my desk that read Prepare the child for the road, not the road for the child. How true!  As parents, our obligation is to help our children understand that life's roads has bumps.  Sometimes those bumps take the form of mountains that need crossing during a blizzard.  Other times, those bumps cave under pressure, making the road smooth again.  If you have prepared your child to anticipate the pop quiz, prepare for unusually worded questions, and understand that life sometime isn't always fair, you'll raise strong, independent children. If however, you pave the way for them by arguing with their teachers, requesting a new teacher, or complaining about that teacher in their presence, you'll raise wimpy children who wait for someone else to solve their problems for them.

So, parents, I encourage you to think twice before confonting a teacher about her methods that she likely learned in college.  He or she knows the best way to present her curriculum material to your child.  It's your job to let your children know that you love them no matter what they do. And if that means hugging your child when she gets a 55 on a test that she studied for, then hug your child.  She knows she disappointed you.  Together, you can figure out how you can bring that grade up for the next test or do extra credit work to bring up the cumulative grade.  However, will you be the one to ask for that extra credit?  What do you think????

Happy parenting!