I have yet to meet a parent who thinks they have done everything right 100% of the time. I can usually see it in their eyes when I ask them questions…even if they aren’t telling the truth. That being said, I believe I handled my last situation correctly. I am disappointed, however, in my child’s teacher. I feel let down somehow.
If you didn’t already know this, I have over 14 years in the education field myself. I do not, under any circumstances, consider myself an expert. I do know children, and I understand them. Quite simply, I love them. I love the curious, the bold, the brash, and yes, even the naughty ones. They are like tiny puzzles waiting for the perfect person to put that last piece in place and step back and say “Aha! I get you now. I know why you are doing this.” They want to be understood, protected and disciplined all at the same time. They want to test your limits and they expect you to notice. How is it that my child’s teacher seems to have failed to notice what has been going on in her class? I don’t know. I really don’t. So I feel let down. After speaking with her today, I am reminded how blessed my girls have been in the past. I am glad I know my children and I am glad I know when something isn’t right.
The bottom line is, I had to hear from a friend, not my child’s teacher, that the little girl in question from my previous post was not coming back to school. Apparently, she is being home-schooled. I went up there today and laid my heart out telling her how upset I was, I didn’t mention that I pray for my child’s safety nightly and even more so after Friday, but I shouldn’t have to. She could hardly look me in the eye and just made non-committal noises in her throat. So you can imagine my surprise when I get home and my friend phones me to tell me the news. A student asked her if she was coming back because he had heard no…gee, thanks other random student. You rank higher than I do in the information hierarchy of something concerning my child. Sigh.
“To bring up a child in the way he should go, travel that way yourself once in a while.”
– Josh Billings