LAUGH
Well, where do I begin? Quite honestly, teachers absolutely love the majority of parents they come into contact with. They are kind, helpful, and usually very understanding… until they are not. We all get a handful of parents every year who, while well-meaning, drive us to drink more than we already do. They obviously care about their kids, but sometimes that extreme concern translates into more weight on our already burdened shoulders.
These occurrences are not isolated and happen just enough to send shudders of anxiety through our bodies. See if you recognize some of the ways parents can get on our last viable nerve listed below.
1. Completing homework for their children
Hello… Your child doesn’t even know how to write in cursive. At least be believable for goodness sake.
2. Going straight to the principal with an issue
This doesn’t really help the parent-teacher-student relationship when this happens. We can solve most issues with a conversation. This just seems like a power grab and often backfires when the principal refers parents back to us, as they most definitely should.
3. Bringing kids to school sick in a Tylenol coma
We honestly do understand that it’s hard as working single parents, but please consider the repercussions of sending your kid to school sick. Your child will be miserable and runs the chance of making us all miserable. We have to go through some serious crap in order to get a sub for the day. No thank you!
4. Sending inappropriate snacks and lunches
So, I have had students come with an entire bag of Doritos (family size) and a Coca-Cola for a snack. They were then spinning in circles and doing TikTok dances on the kidney tables. I have also had students come with a lunch that consisted of a full-course meal with everything except the cookies ending up in the trash.
5. Talking to us at arrival
I am not talking about a single question here; I am talking about a full-on parent-teacher conference with our students going completely ape sh#t behind us. Read the room here, parents.
6. Blaming us, for well, everything
“My child is bored.”
“My child knows their sight words when I test them.”
“They never play rough like that at home.”
“They don’t do well with ‘female’ teachers.”
“The book you are reading is scaring my child.”
“They are not eating their lunch.”
Ugh, just homeschool already.
7. Believing everything “Junior” says
How shall I say this? Your kid is a liar. Before you come running down to the school with steam coming from your ears, please consider the source.
You must know that your child is prone to stretches of the imagination. Ask us what happened before you falsely accuse us of something.
8. Challenging grades/enabling
Just because you have attended school does not mean you understand the intricacies of our grading standards or rubrics. We know parents want their children to do well, but students really should earn the grades that they receive. Enabling your child by fighting a grade battle will do more harm than good.
9. Emailing or texting… all the time
Some parents get very upset when their multiple attempts at communication are not responded to immediately. Teachers have families; we have lives; we teach.
We also despise opening up an angry email. Professional conversations can solve a lot of unnecessary issues.
10. Broadcasting issues all over social media
This is kind of like going to the principal but taking it a step further. Our reputations are everything, and that is why it is extremely hurtful when parents complain about minor grading or homework issues to entire communities of people. It is very important to us to have good relationships with our families. We love our students and want to help them in any way possible. That is why these interferences are so painful. When we pour so much into our jobs and relationships and only get hostility in return, it can destroy our overall morale. Professional communication and mutual respect go a long way.
