I choose to listen to their woes...

I am starting the school year again with three children at different schools.

Two children are heading back to the same school where they started last year, and our youngest is going to a new school for grade 6. While each stage of a child's education provides its opportunities to grow, right along side are the challenges.

In High School my son (15) recounts stories of sitting in class doing nothing because
the teacher is on their laptop; my daughter tells us about teachers who yell and
embarrass some students who don't have their work done.

After attending parenting classes and courses I choose to listen to
their woes and acknowledge their feelings regarding school and
teachers . I try not to say much when they complain about the teaching
styles they are encountering. Our thought is that you need to endure
all types of situations and figure out how to cope. In truth I wish I
could change those experiences so that at the end of the day when we
ask ,"And how was school today?", we would hear them tell about the
wonderful learning that went on in the classroom.


I hope that this year we are blessed with some of the hardworking,
energetic teachers in the public system because when they show up so
do my children!
Kate Robertson, for Parenting Network