Open House Night

I seriously got home less than an hour ago.

I arrived at school this morning at 7:30. I left at 8:42.

It was open house tonight where hmmm....9 parents decided to come out to meet teachers.

Sigh.

I know people work. I know it was raining. I know that some parents don't care.

Seriously though - 9?

There are so many times throughout the school year where I either talk to parents, watch my students, or both and raise my eyes to heaven and thank God that I was blessed with parents that had the good sense to take on the challenge of being good parents. Over the last 8 years, I have lamented with other teachers as to why our job is getting more and more difficult....and every time, the answer comes back to the parents.

When I was 4, my mom was making worksheets for me to read, match colors, shapes, learn to write my letters...she was listening to NPR in the car, she had me watch Sesame Street, Mr. Rodgers and then booted my butt outside where I was left to my own imagination. My mom and dad said NO a lot...but I learned my boundaries. School was extremely important and I was expected to do well...and I didn't want to find out what would happen if I didn't. I was stubborn and probably a total pain in the ass...and I spent a lot of time sitting in the steps thinking about how much I couldn't stand my parents for not letting me wear short skirts, get weird piercings, stay out late with people they didn't know...or get an allowance.

But look at me.

I have a master's degree (almost), I read all the time, I listen to NPR in the car, I appreciate the things that I have because I worked for them. I am an intelligent human being that is successful and self-sustaining. I have the self-esteem to have married a wonderful man and to not let people get to me (too much at least).

I look at my students and after getting over how pissed I am at them for driving me crazy that day, I feel sorry for them. Some of them have parents like mine - that work hard to be PARENTS. That know what's best for their kids and although it's hard and unpleasant sometimes, they make the difficult choices that will help them later in life when they are my age and will appreciate it.

I look at the rest who act up because they want attention. Who go home to all the things that they ever wanted because their parents didn't have the stamina to stand up to them and say no. Who sit in a chair and say ' I don't care - call my mom' because even though I do....they don't have the energy to punish them or don't know how or don't care enough to. I hate those lazy parents....it makes my job harder yes - but these kids didn't choose this...they are like this because you couldn't handle being the adult in your child's life. It was more important that they like you and stopped bothering you.

Sigh. I wonder how long I will be able to do this job.