Dear Parents,
I do not want to hear about your divorce, custody agreements, or
complaints about your ex or current partner, although it often explains a lot, if not, everything about the way your child
acts, treats others and understand the world around them. It is awkward, and
even though I may agree with you, or the other parent, or both, please don’t expect that
I can make my own beliefs clear as a teacher. I’m here for your child. Six to eight hours
of the day, my mandate and belief as a professional dictates that I am
essentially, a stand-in “parent” for your child, who promises to stand up,
advocate for, and guide your child. I do not want to be caught up in custody
battles, or a he-says, she-says discussion. I just want to spend time with your
child, getting to know them and supporting them.
This year has been very parent-centered, rather than
child-centered, and it bothers me to no end. I don’t have solutions, but
please, have faith that your child is bright enough to say or show when
something is wrong, and that I will do my best to support them, and you as a
parent, as best I can.
Please, put your children first by giving them a chance to
speak for themselves. Sometimes the best support you can give is by standing
behind, rather than ploughing the way through, even when your child is 4 or 5
years old, with a limited vocabulary. They are fully capable of communicating,
and I can hear them.
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