All About the Parents

For the last few months, I have really wanted to talk about kids and parents today and their relationship with teachers. 

I have been leery towards this subject because I have pretty strong feelings about it, and because others have strong feelings. 

But it is something that is really bothering me, and I need to get it off my chest. 

I found an editorial cartoon and I think it sums up teaching today. 

{image via}

A lot of kids today have zero accountability for their actions, or lack there of. I have such a hard time holding my kids accountable for meeting class deadlines. A lot of my students think that they can turn their work in whenever they want, and there will be no consequence. And I think I could be okay with that because I can teach my students that deadlines are a part of real-life and there are consequences when you miss a deadline. 

What I can't fight is the parents. Parents today tend to believe everything that comes out of their child's mouth and automatically put the blame on the teacher. 

Parents- Let me assure you: I CANNOT make your child do their work. 

I CAN be supportive. 

I CAN give up my recess, lunch, before, and after school time to help. 

I CAN give you weekly updates. 

I CAN recommend that they stay in for recess. 

But I CANNOT force them to do their work. I wish I could, but I can't. 

When parents enable their children to miss deadlines and call and complain to the teachers, they are teaching their children two things: 

1. Deadlines mean nothing. 

2. If they miss a deadline/ are not happy with their teacher- they can call mom and dad and mom/ dad will figure it out. 

Parents are not helping their children.

And you know what's annoying is that I have noticed this of all ages today, not just my middle schoolers. I don't know how many texts I got from my high school lacrosse players with just stupid excuses for not making it to practice. 

All I gotta say is good luck kids, cause Mom and Dad aren't going to be there forever. 

And what really gets me is that I am busting my butt to help these kids. I don't know how many times I've left work at 5:00 because students need to catch up with work. And my team members work just as hard, and the team I worked with during student teaching worked just as hard. 

I know there are some crappy teachers out there, but parents can't go into a parent/ teacher relationship assuming the teacher is bad. 

I think the teacher-student-parent relationship should look like this: 

{image via}

There should be communication, not assumptions. 

I'm sorry for the rant, but good grief. 

BE ACCOUNTABLE! 

*Note: When I said parents- I don't mean I think all parents do this. I know there are some really great parents. And I just want to say thank you. You make my job a whole lot easier!