Do you know what pisses me off about parents evenings?

[BretonStripe]

My eldest child is in YR3, youngest in Reception. So just worked out dh and I have attended eight parents evenings so far (two per academic year).

Had ds1's tonight and got told he's working at greater depth, he's polite, works hard, contributes well etc I thanked his teachers for all their hard work...they smiled and nodded appreciation...but failed to thank us? We work hard at raising polite children, who are always on time to school with breakfast inside them, eager and willing to learn. We read with/to them every night, and help them with their homework.

Do teachers generally not credit parents for anything? Is it normal for them not to say something along the lines of "thanks for all you do too?".

Daily Mail sad face article right here.

Oh dear lord this is brilliance, I've never (in many years teaching) thought of thanking a parent for simply raising their child - surely that would be the most patronising thing in the entire world?

Parents Evening should change it's name to Not About The Parents Evening, just to be on the safe side.

Everyone knows that Parents' Evening is for talking about PARENTS, surely? The clue's in the name!!

Except not. OP, you do seem to be a tiny bit self-obsessed...

They should thank me to letting them teach my awesome children ( for really not enough money and very very long hours while struggling with a serious lack of resources)

Ah no cross post!

Thanks for giving me a laugh though 😂

Why would they thank you? You're not doing them a favour.

Hilarious

Has anyone seen Chris Rock talk about this?
“I provide for my children.”
“Great, you’re fucking supposed to!”

Oh dear don't be so ridiculous

OMG! You mean I’ve been doing parents’ evening wrong for the last 20 years? Why has no-one told me this before?

Just so you know OP, you aren’t the most self-obsessed parent I’ve come across yet this year- that award goes to the mother who halted our parents’ evening chat to answer a text message and update her social media “so followers wouldn’t worry why I’ve stopped posting for a few minutes, I’m normally very active on-line at this point in the evening”. So please try harder.

I assume you’re joking?

Yeah, thanks for doing what you’re actually supposed to be doing 🙄

😀

There are no words.

I disagree Parents should be thanked for contributing - so many don't.

Why should teachers be thanked??? If you take the same view teaching is their job - that is all they have done?

Bit of mutual respect and thanks doesn't go amiss. Both only doing job but at least doing it - so many don't these days

I am so grateful to my children's kind and patient teachers who without fail want the best for my children . They are overworked, underpaid and do a job I couldn't do for even one day.

I love my children and it's my responsibility to look after them and bring them up! Why on earth would anyone else, teachers, bus drivers, the postman, thank me for it??!!! Hells bells, I don't expect my KIDS to thank me. It's just what I do. And I feel lucky and privileged to do it.

Is this for real?

Of course teachers should be thanked. It’s a job, and a bloody awful one much of the time if my teacher friends are typical.

Has the standard of modern parenting become so poor that we think parents doing what they’re supposed to do is something to give thanks for?

Well that's me told.

Not a reverse.
I'm really not "that" parent.
I did thank them for all their hard work (it's in my one and only post so far).

Glad I gave lots of you a giggle

We read with/to them every night, and help them with their homework.

You are not doing this to make the teacher’s life easier. You are helping YOUR child 🙄

OP, I read your drivel post. Where my thank you?

My very first, but - I feel - justly doled out to the OP:

And a gold for raising a person...

I've got second hand embarrassment for you OP, really.

Why on earth should a teacher thank you for parenting your own child?!

What a totally bizarre thing to think!

I LOVE kids, I LOVE teaching them. I really wanted to be a teacher since I was a tot, but at 16, when looking at my course options, I decided that being an accountant was more lucrative and I could more easily train as a teacher with an accounting degree than the other way around.. NEVER have I been SO glad I made that decision. Between the Govt & parents, I’d have ended up locked up. Daily, especially on here, I thank my lucky stars my 16 year old self made that choice. There are some SHIT teachers, but they’re definitely outweighed by the amazing ones who stick with it despite the Govt & parents.

Well done for taking the responses in good grace!

It's lovely that your kids are happy to learn but tbh what you wrote here:

'raising polite children, who are always on time to school with breakfast inside them, eager and willing to learn. We read with/to them every night, and help them with their homework.'

• Is the absolute bare minimum any responsible parent ought to be doing. It's really sad that so many parents can't be arsed to do even that, but to expect a thank you for it? Nope. It's just the role we all took on when we chose to become parents.

But keep it up! Clearly, you're doing great and I hope your children continue to enjoy a great time at school.