Parent Teacher Conferences

I survived! I did cry a little though... okay, a lot (but I did wait until I got home.)

Being a mom is a huge job. That is why I send my kids to school. I do the mom stuff, the cooking, cleaning, helping with homework, and all that. Caroline has long passed my memory of school, so Gerald helps her out. I read with Jayden, make sure Susanna and Jessica are reading, too. I think all is going well, but then... PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE. Now, I just need to vent a little...

So, one teacher asked me if I still am mad at her over the science fair debacle. Truthfully, I never was mad--just overwhelmed. I know nothing about science, and a little more direction would have been nice before we had the project all done. She was not aware that no one in my family had ever done a science fair project before.

One teacher was just as frustrated as I was that the Internet scheduler messed up all my appointments. I even registered early to get the spots I wanted because my crazy schedule. Well, my confirmation e-mail was perfect. I had no idea that I would not get the spot I signed up for. In fact, I didn't even get to go to that conference because her only opening left was during Caroline's soccer practice 30 minutes away. Gerald had to take the afternoon off work to attend that one.

One teacher told me all my daughter's math scores were tops, however, when I asked if that meant she was at grade level, I was informed that they were doing math from the previous year to begin with. That is all fine and dandy... but it is kind of late for review, there are only 3 months left in THIS school year!

One teacher told me I needed to teach my child to read, and write, because he was so far behind. Okay, forgive me if I am wrong. I read to my child, I look at his school work, and we work on counting. I even listen to him read a little... but he is really struggling and I lose my patience and my temper very easily after the fourth time he has forgotten how to read the word "it", and that is just on the FIRST page. I can talk about nutrition until the cows come home.

I can make a diet plan for a diabetic and calculate the caloric needs of a burn patient. I can even teach school children about the Food Guide Pyramid... but I can't teach them to read. I don't know all the little tricks the teachers learn in in their schooling. I have no problem reinforcing what has already been taught... but I AM NOT THE TEACHER!

I have a hard time sending my children to school already... I miss them so much while they are at school. Even to the point I consider home schooling every year. But in the end, the conclusion is while I can teach many wonderful things, I am not equipped with enough knowledge to cover the academics I feel my children need.

Well, at least I'm done with the conferences until next year!