Maybe I am one of those “freak” Mom’s .....

Last night I was getting changed to head to our son’s 1^st High School Meet the Teacher Night, he’s a Freshman.  I said to my Husband, “Does this look ok?” (I was dressing down and comfy) He said “You’re fine, you will look better than anyone because YOU ARE THERE” I shrugged it off with a chuckle. 

Parents were told to meet in the Auditorium and the night would proceed from there.  We got there early to “get a seat” being that it was all grades 9-12 Meet the Teacher Night so I assumed it would be packed. As I sat there in the half empty room I started thinking, first He was right “I was here” and secondly, maybe I was naive to think it would be full, maybe I am  too involved, maybe I can’t let him go, maybe I am one of those “freak” Mom’s. 

The night goes on we Meet all of his teachers, put a face to the name, get a small sense of what they are like their personalities, get the scoop on how they run a classroom and a quick overview of what they expect from our boy. It took 2 hours out of our life to get a feel for what our boys day is like every day for the next 9 months, to know who he is talking about when he comes home and tells us something about his day, teacher or classroom whether he’s complaining about something or telling us something positive. 

We have always been involved in our son’s Academic life. I also know that we have had great experiences and an easy road with our son academically. He has made it that way. He is beyond smart, always been grade levels ahead, been in accelerated programs since elementary school and as a freshman taking all 10^th grade honors classes. The road may have been easier for us however, that’s not an excuse to drop the ball in your involvement of your child’s academic future. We have always been involved from the beginning from checking homework, reading, signing agendas and making sure everything was in order. He has always been a responsible, determined and hardworking student. We are still involved checking his assignments and grades online every week to just make sure he remains that type of student. 

I realize that every parent can’t attend “Meet the Teacher Night” we all have busy schedules. I realize there are acceptable reasons of why you can’t be there and I fully understand that, however I am sure not every parent that was missing was working, was ill, was out of town or was doing something that was more important.

So that leaves me to wonder, Who wouldn’t want to meet the people your child interacts with on daily basis? Who doesn’t want to know what their child’s day is like…because we all know as they get older the details get a little sketchy!

This kind of irritated me as I thought about it more….. Why are football and basketball bleachers full on game day and that auditorium last night was half empty.  How do parents not miss one sporting event even arrange their schedules to make sure the kids get to practice yet have no interest in meeting a teacher? Our son is also athletic and is an avid basketball player; we are very involved in that as well. We FULLY encourage, love and support him and the sport wholeheartedly however he has been told repeatedly that if his grades slip in the least, he will be done. His first responsibility is to academics and our first responsibility to him as his parents are to his academic future. 

I realize not every child is “into” school, or is a straight "A" student however every child has the potential to be a GOOD student and it’s your responsibility as their parent to be involved and help them reach their own individual best!!!  Academics are the key to their futures.

So, maybe I was naive to think it would be full, maybe I am  too involved, maybe I can’t let him go, maybe I am one of those “freak” Mom’s but I will also be the Mom without any regrets. I will always know I did all I could to help, encourage and support him to be the best he could be.