Parent Involvement

Thursday, August 14, 2008
Parent Involvement
I spent 7 hours today at the junior high helping with orientation for the 7th graders. I sat at a table answering questions, taking PTO dues and Bobcat wearables money. Two other moms were also helping. These 2 moms are women that like myself always make themselves available when needed. I realize that I am more active volunteer wise than most. I am more active then probably 95% of the parents in my kids school but I am still shocked by comments some parents make.
Just about every kid that went to Kenwood I greeted by name. Most of them I have known since they were in Kindergarten because they are a year behind Danie. A hand full of parents asked me how I knew their kids and were ticked off that I knew personal things about them, (who they had for a teacher last year, who their friends with). The weird thing, but not surprising, is that these were the same parents that I had never seen. In 7 years of being at the same school I had never seen any of them at any school activity. Now I realize that I am very lucky because I am a stay at home mom so I can be at the school when needed and go on all of the field trips and that most can't. I also know that I am not going to see everyone all the time but come on.
My job as a mom is to know what my kids are doing and who they are hanging around with. In my opinion that includes knowing as much as I can about their friends and the kids in their classes. If that makes me "nosy" I really don't care. I think that it makes me safe and realistic. My kids are not going to tell me everything forever, but hopefully their friends will trust me enough that if someone is in trouble they will know they can come to me.
I do not have patience for parents that are ignorant. There was a woman who reeked so strongly of alcohol that the person talking to her stepped back. She was 2 hours late for orientation. There were kids outside yelling and cussing like they were at a bar. When their parents came in it made sense. Their parents all looked like they had just rolled out of bed with hangovers.
PARENT INVOLVEMENT..... I'm not perfect but I sure as hell will try my best.
6:47 PM
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