If Your Mouth is Moving, Then Your Ears Aren't Listening

I learned a very valuable lesson the other night at a parent/teacher meeting at school.  There must have been something like 50-60 parents at this event and our three upper department teachers had a lot to tell us.  The kids homework isn't take it home and bring it back the next morning - some is but some is not due until Friday and then they have this planner to do .....it's very complicated and time consuming.  They also needed to talk about our new behavioral discipline plan and of course, our Yosemite Camping Trip.  You'd think people would pay attention since you're giving up an evening with your family to sit through this and listen - nope, there were little chatty groups all over the cafeteria.

I'm not talking about leaning over to whisper one thing during the meeting, I'm talking there were several heads together, chatting, laughing - disregarding the glares of other parents trying to listen.  Funny thing is - as I looked around at all those parents whispering to each other I realized that I have personally talked to each of their children about talking while the teacher is talking.  Isn't that a coincidence?  Or perhaps, as we've discussed before the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.  I am not one to keep quiet when something irritates me and I wanted to get up, walk across the room and lean down to their level and firmly say, "We don't talk while an adult is talking.  We're here to learn and you're disrupting those around you. Do you need to take a break or are you ready to listen?"  just like I have said to their children.  My husband would have killed me though.  Prude.

If you break rules and don't show respect to people then your children see that and they act accordingly.  That punk kid who refuses to do what you ask him at school and has his own private pass to the take a break chair in class?  Take a good, long look at Mom and Dad.  Chances are, they're flippant about authority, probably say stuff like, "Stupid Cops." or "You're teacher's an idiot." or "Who does he think he's talking to?"  That's awesome.  Please re-create your child in your image - because what the world really needs is more people with a chip on their shoulder, more people who feel entitled to do whatever they want.

I know - I know.....it's just talking during a school meeting, blah blah.  But its a pebble in a jar that eventually becomes to heavy to be carried.  This one leads to that one, then another and pretty soon you're THAT parent.   Do you really want to be that parent?  And do you really want your kid to be THAT kid?  Because, let's face it - you only have yourself to blame for that.

As I've said before - be a good example, be respectful and attentive and your child will most likely follow suit.  And for all the parents who continue to listen even though people around them are chit-chatting......thank you for not breaking the rules just because other people do.  I respect that.