Balls and Walnuts
more than you ever wanted to know
Unclear on the concept
You mean I wasn’t supposed to bring my son with me to Back to School Night? Then why do I have memories of my parents dragging me along with them to the elementary school for BtSN?
I tried to make it interesting for him. I told him, “Try to find the moms of the cuter girls in your class. That way you’ll know what they’ll look like when they get older.” Fortunately, I whispered it to him; otherwise, I think I would have crossed the line between Insufferable and Downright Embarrassing. Nevertheless, the minutes crept by. Forty minutes in a hot cafeteria . . . with no food.
Was I really supposed to go around from room to room to meet his teachers? Why? What possible motivation could I have to do such a thing? If we have questions of his teachers, we email them. Is this supposed to give me a glimpse into the adolescent zeitgeist? Make me a more empathetic parent? I think I’m plenty empathetic as it is!
So I’m afraid we slunk off together after the introductory comments were concluded. We were hot and we were hungry and I, for one, had had a very long day which wasn’t over yet (I still had to return to the hospital to complete a consult I’d rushed through at lunch . . . instead of eating lunch). Call me grumpy. Call me hungry. Call me a little bit of both.
I hope we don’t get dinged for not showing up in the classrooms. I did show up for the introductory comments, after all. That’s gotta count for something!
D.
I guess Catholic school is different.I don’t know what they were thinking with that 40 minute intro…going to each teacher was more important so that you could get an overview of what will be taught/expected in each class. Students still come with their parents where I teach.I wouldn’t worry too much about cutting out early.
Walnut, you are just a bit “rusty” when it comes to high school parent-teacher protocol. As a decorated veteran, I’m going to offer a tiny bit of advice that I hope you won’t take wrong. When your offspring reaches high school, the rules change from what they were in elementary school. Basically, your role is to sit back and observe. In high school you, the parent, do not email/interract with the teacher. In high school it is the responsibility of the student alone to keep up with assignments, email the teacher if there are questions, etc., etc. You are only called into the picture if there is a problem and usually only if it is a big problem. It’s hard to let go, but eventually one day you will have to. High school is the intermediate step. You let go, but you are there standing by if you are needed. You have to keep the end in sight – college. When your almost adult child leaves home for college without you, he needs to be ready. If he has spent his high school years working nearly independently it will not be a hard transition.
Hi Sis. The 40 min intro was a pitch — for parent volunteerism, donations, etc. Forty minutes was way more than enough. Okay, I get it already!
Lucie, we’ve been homeschooling for 5 years. No way we’re going to turn him loose overnight. I figure we’ll ease into the independence thing . . . We have four years yet before we have to sing “Born Free” 🙂
Ugh how bloody tedious. But then think of it from their perspective. I mean you’re only meeting a few teachers, they have to meet hoards of annoying Parents!! Every one of them thinking their snot faced, angst ridden, shoe gazing, mumbling offspring is a prince/ss. I hope they all had a few stiff drinks and a bus ride home after that.
For skipping out, they’ll probably think you’re awesome.
I have to disagree with Lucie…your role is more than “sit back and observe”. I don’t know how it will go at Jake’s school, but parents at my high school are encouraged to communicate with the teacher. Not for small, picky things, but it’s a good way to stay on top of the kinds of assignments he’s getting and whether or not he’s doing them. I agree with not just turning him loose after 5 years of home schooling, but I also see independence/responsibility as something Jake should learn over the course of his first year in high school.