Parents and school involvement
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| Thu, 08-23-2007 - 8:49am |
My question stems from a personal experience. My middle child is starting kindergarten next week. I've become fairly close with one of my dd's friend's moms- this is her first child entering the school system. She WOH, I do not, plus I have experience with the school, so she's been calling me with questions and comments.
It started to go bad when she called to complain that the kindy orientation is during the day- when she is working. Then it led to complaints about the parents' read aloud program (when the kids are in library) and other opportunities for volunteerism in the school. I get that these things aren't convenient for her, but I'm getting annoyed with the complaining. How can the kids have an orientation at night when they go to school during the day? None of these events are mandatory for parents or kids. And plenty of activities are scheduled for evenings: Back to school night, the PTA picnic, etc.
She thinks because she can't participate, no one should be able to, apparently. Plenty of WOHP do show up for these things. I think she's being unrealistic if she thought she could put a couple of kids through school without ever taking a vacation day. Am I wrong? Am I missing something here?

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This is the part of her post that seems cold to me "I don't know why he puts in the long hours I don't really care"
It is very important to me whether my DH is working long hours because his work load requires it or he is working long hours because he would rather be at work than at home. According to her post she doesn't care the reason.
We have time to plant a garden and watch their own vegetables grow"
Oh please -- I work very long hours and we've had a vegetable garden since the kids were born (actually before hand too). In fact tonight, after an 11 hour day I went into the garden with my kids and picked some of those veggies for the dinner I then made with them.
" they are able to attend events during the day because I'm here to take them, we have the time to do so many things together everyday, not just for a few hours after work or on the weekends."
Yes that time to take them to events, etc. during the day is one of the reasons my DH SAH but it doesnt make for good parenting in and of itself. And many dual WOH parents manage to get their kids to quite a few events, etc.
" Both me and my kids enjoy life much more because we spend our time together doing what makes us happy."
I'm sure you do enjoy it. But isnt this about what makes the kids happiest? Older kids (and YES I know yours are mainly under 6) like to spend time with other kids. My kids spend three days a week (1/2 days) in preschool. They are 4. They LOVE their school and were really excited to go back today for their first day back. Raved about how much fun it was / is. Maybe your kids are missing out on that interaction?
?? It's the women on this board who repeatedly state they are CTwohms. The CTwohm term is actually coined on this board alone as the wohms I know in real life never make that (IMO fallacious and defensive) distinction. They simply mention they work. Most describe their jobs with interest/passion, or they've said they do wish they could sah full-time or work fewer hours.
I disagree that Shari is "nasty" simply because she too has adopted this board invention.
I'll name a few. SAH is universally better because school-aged children do not need to be in after-school care awaiting the end of their parent's work day. How many years have your sons been in after-school care for?
Having a sahp is universally better too when children are in before-school care to accomodate parents' work schedules.
Tack on before and after-school care, and IMO a child is spending way too much time at school - a sahp would be universally better there too.
Having a sahp is better universally during summers when children are the at the ages when they are too old for camp and too young for a job.
Having a sahp is universally better when a child is being abused or neglected in daycare.
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