Parents and school involvement

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-17-2003
Parents and school involvement
2586
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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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-17-2007
Fri, 08-31-2007 - 9:54am
i have told you repeatedly why i think it is important for my kids - i have never said it would be important for yours or anyone elses. i guess it is kind of like why you homeschool and i dont, you see value in homeschooling, for your kids and i dont, for my kids.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-17-2007
Fri, 08-31-2007 - 10:08am
please show me a post where i have said preschool is necessary for all children. but i still disagree that eveything that occurs at preschool can be accomplished elsewhere. certainly not every thing that occurs in preschool is vital to a childs future success or happiness but just as homeschooling provides for some unique experiences so does preschool. if you see no value to preschool then why would you care to duplicate the experiences that kids are getting there or care that they are having experiences kids not in preschool are getting. i know people who do not send their kids to preschool but i have never met anyone until now who felt they could give their child at home everything they would get in preschool - they didnt see the necessity of their kids learning some of the things taught and experienced in preschool so they didnt send them, but they knew their kids were not having the same experiences as kids in preschool. just to clarify here so you dont come back and accuse me of semantics or of changing something - when it comes to my kids i believe everything they experieince is a learning experience for them, especially at the young ages.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-17-2007
Fri, 08-31-2007 - 10:11am
17972.859 in response to 17972.857
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-27-2005
Fri, 08-31-2007 - 10:20am
Neither did alot of kids from the 70's. Kids are more advanced in kindergarten than we were and are expected to know more going in than we did.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-27-2005
Fri, 08-31-2007 - 10:21am
Of course they do and that is the reason we have such a strict policy NOW about it. It WAS done years ago.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-08-2001
Fri, 08-31-2007 - 10:26am
ROFL, thank you Hazel!

Mary



Mom to Kevin 11/4/03



Everyone should have kids. They are the greatest joy in the world. But they are also terrorists. You'll realize this as soon as they are born, and they start using sleep deprivation to break you.



Ray Romano, actor/comedian

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-04-1997
Fri, 08-31-2007 - 10:26am
You just did.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-08-2001
Fri, 08-31-2007 - 10:28am
Right, I agree. But why assume that the ABCs, etc.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-04-1997
Fri, 08-31-2007 - 10:29am
You don't have to go to traditional school to practice standing in lines. You can go on a homeschool field trip to the grocery store. Or to Disneyland.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-27-2005
Fri, 08-31-2007 - 10:30am
Glad I made you laugh.

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