Overheard At School…

Post 215

We are at the time of year when most children are pretty comfortable in school. From a positive point of view…that’s great! Children have formed friendships with kids in their class and with students in other classes. This is the perfect time to have playdates after school so that these friends can really get to know each other. And truly, some of these friendships can last well into adulthood.

On the negative side, children are comfortable enough with each other and the teacher to become tattletales. I don’t mean letting their teacher know if something important has happened but the annoying habit of telling the teacher everything that someone else has done. As educators, we try very hard to help students distinguish between what is necessary to “report” and what isn’t.

So what do you do when your child comes home saying something they heard at school? When is it time to talk to the teacher about it? Good question! First of all, trust yourself. You know your child best. If they tell you every little thing, you probably can sense if it is vital or not. Most importantly, if there is any way someone can be harmed physically, make the teacher aware of it. If it is emotional, that’s harder. In my opinion, if something is really causing your little one a lot of anxiety, I would schedule a chat with their teacher. Together, you will probably be able to come up with a solution and strategies to help your child cope. And chances are, if they are upset, other children in the class are, too. As their teacher, I would want to know so that I could take steps to clear up the situation. If left unattended, these things tend to fester and become bigger problems.

Don’t ever feel you are “a pain” or a nuisance in this sort of situation. No teaher is ever put out by a parent/caretaker who is truly worried about their child. We are here to help. That’s what school should be…a partnership between families and educators to do the best for our children. 😀

Take Care. 🙂