Please Don't...
There's always those parents who go against everything you say and you would swear that they go out of their way to make your life as a teacher more difficult. This is my list for those parents...
1. Please don't encourage your child's dangerous behavior by saying "You're just like Peter Pan!" when they take a flying leap off of their cubby into your arms when you are getting them ready to go home.
2. Please don't tell your child that he/she does not have to listen to a particular teacher just because you don't like that teacher. Whether you like a teacher or not, that teacher is responsible for teaching your child and it is very difficult to teach a child who has been told they don't have to listen to you.
3. Please don't bring a toy to school every day when it is stated in the parent handbook that toys are to be brought to school on sharing day only. In addition, if you do choose to let your child bring a toy to school on a non-sharing day--don't get mad at us when we tell your child that he/she must keep the toy in his/her backpack for the duration of the day.
4. Please don't pack only sugar filled candy for your child's lunch. Your child is served what you have packed for them--and we really don't like to serve what we call "sugar buzz" lunches to any child.
5. Please don't get mad at us when your child does not sleep at nap time. We cannot force a child to sleep--we will rub their back and sing to them, if they do not sleep, we cannot do anything.
6. Please don't tell your child that he/she does not have to wear a paint smock when painting. We understand that it doesn't matter if the child gets paint on his/her clothes, however...paint on a child's clothes usually gets transferred to other children, toys, walls, carpets, and teachers. That is why your child is required to wear a paint smock when painting.
7. Please don't open your child's lunch and read the instructions from the Easy Mac/ChefBoyardee/Ramen Noodles package/can/cup. There's 3 reasons we do not need this. 1) We can read. 2) We are college educated people, we can figure it out. and 3) Most of us are college students, we live off of convenience food
8. Please don't accuse us of being mean to your child because he/she got a time out for misbehaving and didn't like it.
This list is all from personal experience this year. Some of these happen to us on a daily basis, others only happen once or twice. But please, for those parents out there who do these things--please realize that by doing this you are working against us, not with us...and that's not beneficial to anybody.
posted by Jen @ 11:31 PM
6 Comments:
Great list, Jen! I swear I haven't committed any of the crimes on your list. :D But the one about bringing toys to class is one of my pet peeves. I wrote about it at my blog and linked to your list to help spread the word.
Toy Talk #11: Child Wrangler
I'm always impressed at the intelligence and common sense preschool teachers need to deal with our little monsters. ;) Thanks for all that you do!
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Family and Relationships Editor
b5media.com
Excellent post! I'm sure preschool teachers everywhere would give you a standing ovation.
The toy thing irks me, too, even as a parent. What is so hard for these people to understand about not bringing things unless it's Share Day?
Super list! Jen - look! You are referenced! How cool is that!
must wear a paint smock? that's supressing their personal style which could lead to permanent psychological damage.
ha! jk i can't stand all that new age parenting crap.
Ha ha. I love number one. Just print out copies of the list and send them home with the kids :-)
Why do we hate naps when we're kids? Now I'd give anything for a good nap.
Bravo, bravo, bravo!
I may be a children's librarian, but I share a LOT of those problems. And lord knows I saw a lot of parents doing such when my girls were in preschool1
You've inspired a post on my blog that is going to link to this one, if I ever manage to finish writing it!
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