Columnist Cassandra Walker
It is hard to believe that our children have been in school for nine weeks already. That means it is mid-term time and the report cards are coming home at parent teacher conferences.
In our home you have one of two choices. You are either excited it is report card time or you are deeply depressed.
If you have good grades then you will stand in line and wait for my husband to look over your grades.
The anticipation can be so thick at times that one of my sons said he felt as though he was going to faint. He was on the depressed list.
It can also be heart pounding with excitement because you are going to be rewarded financially for good grades.
This year we had parent-teacher conferences and we decided to take the boys with us. Now some of the children were oh so happy to sit there and hear the teacher say great things about them.
One of the children, who will remain nameless, was not too happy because he was in the “hot seat.” He was on the depressed list.
While at the conference I could overhear teachers talking and stating that it was a shame that more parents did not participate in the conferences. They try to set the times during the day and the evening to accommodate all but they still only get about 40 percent of the parents.
I know my readers are in that 40 percent who attend the conferences. However, if you are not going, I want to plead with you to take the time to attend teacher conferences if only for 10 minutes.
You will be amazed at how much it benefits your child and the teacher as they get to know your child.
I understand that some of you are single parents and some of you work more than one job. That makes it very difficult, so perhaps if you can not make it you can send a note to the teacher asking how your child is doing or make a phone call to the school.
No child is perfect, that is why in our home we sometimes have children on the “depressed about report card day” list and some on the “yeah, I am going to get money for my grades” list.
If your child knows you are participating in their education, they will work harder and try harder.
Try it, and let me know what happens.
Thanks for sharing.