Image via Wikipedia Its the first day of school, and I was reminded today of a conversation I overheard a year ago. A mom, met her child's teacher before her child did. "Oh! You have my son in your class this fall? Oh. We'll talk. There's a lot you need to know." Why? Why why why must parents do this? To their children and to their teachers? Do they not trust the teachers enough to bring their own experience to the classroom and to let it lead them in how they'll approach their … [Read more...]
Ask the Teacher: Back to School Gifting
August 27, 2010 By 20 Comments
Dear Just Precious, I hear my daughter's teacher is wonderful, and I want to make sure she knows that we're excited to be in her class this year. I read that parents give gifts to their teachers on the first day. What should I give? What is the appropriate amount to spend? I swear. Parents stress out over gifting... its not worth it. Really. Because, in a word, nothing. Give them nothing monetary on the first day of school. Give them a well-rested, well-fed, happy/nervous/curious/shy child … [Read more...]
Back to a New School, with Parenting Jitters
August 17, 2010 By 4 Comments
Image by Editor B via Flickr Big starts 1st grade this month at a new school. He already knows a few of the kids, but he's nervous, and so am I. I started first grade as a new student, too. I entered the room (mid-year) knowing no one. I remember my dad holding me as the teacher came over to greet me. And the next week, I sat in the front row with 10 new friends vying for my attention. Most of the class befriended me right away. Being new in school in first grade is cool. You're … [Read more...]
Did I poison 45 kids?
June 11, 2010 By 1 Comment
All dressed and ready to go last night, dressed in what I'll describe as a slimming dress, big spotted me while we waited for our sitter to arrive. "Whoa! That was unexpected," he said. "What was?" "You. Your dress. Ummm. Mom? You might want to try eating smaller meals." "What?" I playfully questioned. "Or. Hmmm. Maybe just eat one meal a day..." "Why?" I asked. "To slim your waist." The conversation continued to shock me as he explained defined the word waist, and expressed that having … [Read more...]
Ask the Teacher: End of the Year Gifts, the good, the bad and how much to spend
June 8, 2010 By 11 Comments
Image by Premier Packaging via Flickr Yay! I was so excited to receive a few teacher-gifting questions recently. Send me your questions, please! Want to know what to do to keep up your child's math skills this summer? Not sure how to approach a new teacher at the beginning of the school year? Unclear on the protocol to suggest new activities to the PTO? What are your questions for a parent who was a teacher and is now the president of the PTO? Send me an e-mail and I'll do my best to answer in … [Read more...]
Teacher Appreciation Week
May 5, 2010 By 5 Comments
This week has been earmarked Teacher Appreciation week. Now, as you'll recall, I'm a big disliker of "weeks" and "days". I blogged about it here and here. And I've never really gotten the point to Teacher Appreciation week. Besides the fact that we should appreciate our teachers every week because they're taking care of our children, educating them and keeping them safe and are wildly underpaid and underappreciated, we also give appreciation to teachers at the end of the year with … [Read more...]
