Mom vs. the preschool teacher?

I recently read about  this parenting call and it got me to thinking about children and school and teachers and being a parent.  I'm a teacher.  I've been a teacher for 20 years.   Over the years I've taken on more and more "parenting responsibility".  I am with the children for 7 hours a day.  Seven and a half hours a day to be exact.  Mom and Dad are with the children the rest of the time.  Yet I am the one who should teach that child table manners, courtesy, kindness, generosity and the value of a good friend.  Oh, and I'm also supposed to provide opportunities for them to sort by color, shape and size, seriate by length, count using ordinal numbers, understand positional words, follow directions, listen for rhyming pairs and build a thinking map.

I'm tired by 4pm.

So Mom if you would like the responsibility of your child for a day PUHLEEZE come get him.  You have my blessing.  Missing one day of school ( and preschool at that) is not going to jeopardize his future at NASA.

When you call the school you probably will get attitude.  It's unnecessary and just plain rude.  I'm not making excuses.  I'm just want to explain that we are all overworked.  We are tired!

Let me just share a couple of crazy mother phone calls I've gotten.

I once had a mother call me at school anxious and irate because I had valentine mailboxes for every child in the class except for hers.  When I asked her what in the world gave her that idea she "explained" in a rude and loud tone  that while at WalMart the night before, her son and begged for a Batman Valentine Mailbox.  In fact, he NEEDED Batman for the class valentine party because........ you guessed it.  His teacher (me) had purchased one for everyone in the class.  Except him.  I wanted to laugh but she was so angry I felt defensive.  I had several witty comebacks in my head but instead I took a deep breath and told her "I'm so sorry, I do not allow people to yell at me,  If you would like to come by school this afternoon and see his valentine box you are more than welcome.  I will let the security guard know to expect you."

That shut her up.

Really people.  REALLY??

By the way, I don't know what came over me with that reply.  That is truly what I said.  Word for word.  When I hung up I just sat in the teacher's lounge.  The school secretary was eating her lunch and heard only my side of the conversation.  So I had a witness.  Sort of.

I once had a mother show her tail feathers because her daughter's hair bow was in her bag instead of in her hair.  The bow was not lost.  The bow was not broken.  The bow was IN HER BAG.   I wanted to tell Mom that I had not locked her daughter in a closet in the dark and left her there.   Let's put things in perspective please.  Instead I came up with an answer that I did not feel was TRUE but I knew in a second that it would put a bandaid on Mom's anger and keep it from spewing all over the front of the crosswalk.  I simply said, "She does not have the bow in her hair.  It's in her bag.  Here it is.  I feel awful about it.  Please forgive me. "

Yep, I said that.

Seemed crazy to HAVE to say that.  But I did.  Mom immediately softened and recoiled.  I won.

Sometimes I feel like I should just quit.  A run in with an angry mother can make me want to apply for a job as a WalMart greeter.   The next morning, though, I get up and trudge through my morning routine.  I walk into the class and I'm greeted with "Hey Mrs C!  Look what I made you last night"

And that makes it worth it.

A Fun Fact to Know and Tell

Sometimes I hear a little something or see another something and I think "I need to remember that.  Neato"  Yes, I still say NEAT-O sometimes.

So here are a few things I've learned.  Ejukashun is a good thing.


Today's Fun Fact:  

Worst Valentine Candy:  Russell Stovers Chocolate Assortment.  There is only sugar, vegetable oil and chocolate extract.  No real chocolate.

Best Valentine Candy:  Dove Dark Chocolate Hearts.  Real cocoa.

The article listed dark chocolate covered strawberries as the best choice.  And dark chocolate covered almonds as the second best choice.  But those aren't really "candy", you know?

Either way, matters not to me.  I do not like chocolate.  When I mention that quirk I get the strangest looks.  So I rarely mention it.


In other news:

I received my Power 90 Masters Series DVDs in the mail on Friday.  Saturday morning I worked out to Level 5/6 Cardio.  I didn't die.  I enjoyed having something new.  And I enjoyed not having all those leg lifts in a row.  My fitness goal remains the same:  Fit into a size 10 by May 17 which is the start of graduation week here at The Villa.  

So I'm working out and watching portions.

I visited the doctor on Friday morning for my blood pressure.  It's lower than it was in November but we'd like to see it even lower.  So I'm going back in 3 more months.  The doctor told me if I'd lost just 10 more pounds he'd expect to see a healthy blood pressure.  So, I'm all for that.  I was happy to NOT have medicine.

I'm still job hunting.  I have compiled my resume, necessary certificates, etc. and have them ready to distribute to area schools.  Monday is a school holiday so it will have to wait until Tuesday.

I gathered and packed away the few Valentines Day things I had around the house and started getting out springtime bunnies and Easter Baskets.  I am so ready for the sunshine.

Toodles.

Hello There, Stranger

I Got A Feeling

That today's gonna be a good day

Here Comes The Sun doo dah doo dah

Here Comes the sun.......

And it's ALRIGHT!

More of the same

Honestly, Mother Nature, this is plenty.  

I think I'll have some cake.

Happy Mardi Gras!

Sunday Morning Peace

Hello Rain.

You make my day peaceful.

Thank You.

I'm really not that selfish

Have you ever just wanted to throw somebody under the bus?  Lately that's how I've been feeling about a certain someone I work alongside.

She is forgetful to the point of being disrespectful.

She loses track of time because it's all about her.  "They'll wait for me"

She's a train wreck.

And it's driving me crazy.

What do you do when someone you work with is a hot mess?

Please, please let me know.  Because I have 4 more months to work with DingBat Girl.  I'm taking it one day at a time.

I don't want her to lose her job.  I just want her to be called on the carpet.

I don't want her to quit.  I just want her to shape up.

I want her to care.  That's the main thing: I just want her to CARE.

Recently I completed a self evaluation.  Several of the items on the checklist portion did not pertain directly to me as it is DingBat's job.  So I circled those things and put a question mark by them.

For instance, it is not my job to keep HER area tidy and functional.   That is HER job.  (Strange that it was even on my evaluation but upon further investigation it seems we all had the same form)  Several days later I got a copy of my evaluation back for safe keeping.  I dropped it into my binder and did not look at it again for probably a week.  I honestly thought it was just a copy.  Nothing more, nothing less.  But as I prepared to file it away in my professional binder I noticed comments from my supervisor.  Hmmm.

"Do not be afraid to tell DingBat girl what needs to be changed"

"Do you do your part to assist the DingBat in preparations."

Uh........... first of all, I'm not "afraid".

Secondly, that is my my responsibility to manage her.

In the past I have offered to help, and given her advice (people love advice!) and her reply was, "My way is better".  Yes, she said that to my face.  MY WAY IS BETTER.  

Honestly, those few comments made me so frustrated.  Even angry!

I give up.

If her behavior and "ways" are okay with the administration then it's okay with me.  But I can't work this way.  So I am out of here.

Now where is the Sunday Newspaper with the job listings?