Sunday, October 13, 2013

You Know Your Parent's An Educator When


Hello lovelies,

This weekend mia famiglia went to visit my brother at school in Virginia.  Such a fun time!  More on that post later.  Long car rides and I have a rocky relationship with each other.  On the one hand I love the quiet alone time with just the radio, a good magazine, family chats, and laughs.  On the other hand I can’t stand being contained in an SUV for 6 hours.  I do get some really good soul searcher done on these car rides though.  I don’t know if that is for better or for worse.  Sometimes you need to stop analyzing your life and just live it.  Don’t think too much is one of my 2014 New Year’s Resolutions.  Inevitably Deb and I will get in a discussion about education and how to be a better teacher.  I love these convos because my mom is such a well of knowledge.  She’s been a speech pathologist for over 30 years and is fantastic!  I admire her and her work ethic.  While we were talking I got the idea about things that Educator’s Kids Get.  Here is my list:

1) As a youngster you were checked to make sure you were hitting your developmental milestones on that exact month marker. 
2) Everyone wanted to play school at your house because you had actual old teacher’s manuals, an actual attendance book, and an actual seating chart.
3) On the 15th and 30th of every month you were living large!!  Those were pay days and you knew that your educator parent was coming home telling you, you guys “were going out to dinner”! 
4) You were at those teacher contract negotiation rallies wearing your I Support Public Education t-shirt and carrying your Settle Now signs while proudly marching with the other union members.
5) When other people bash unions, you come up with 20 good reasons and benefits of unions.
6) You’ve gone to political marches at your state capital. 
7) You ate pasta every night for the last ½ of August waiting for that September 1st pay day.  (Not really, but you know that you’re not “going out to dinner”.
8)  Your parent was a celebrity in your area because every time you went to Target or the grocery store your parent was recognized and bombarded with hugs and love. 
9) You saw that and wanted your future students to feel that strongly about you.  Seriously when we see my mom’s students it’s so beautiful because they love her! 
10) You know teachers don’t get summers off.  Nor are they home at 3:30…more like 7.
11)  When/if a teacher called your house, emailed your parents, or wrote a note home, you knew YOU were in trouble.  There was never a discussion of if you were wrongly accused or not.  No, you were the one at fault.
12)   Barnes & Noble was your treat when you finished your behavior chart.
13) You have a cabinet full of mugs that your parent has received from past students.  You know that your parent would never dare throw away these mugs because they remind them of that “special student”.  (You also know that you will never buy your child’s teacher a mug or candle because you yourself have seen the volume of mugs and candles teacher’s receive J)
14)   If you were bad you didn’t get to go the library on Sasturday for new books.
15)   You participated in every Summer Reading Program at your local library.  (usually you also won them because reading was a scheduled part of your daily routine)
16)  You went to preschool and loved it!
17)  You were happy when school functions and plays were at night so that your educator parent could come.
18)  You knew that on Back To School Night and Open House Night, you were getting PIZZA FOR DINNER!!! Yay!!!  P.S. this still happens even when you’re 22.
19)  You really were forced to do your daily 30 minutes of homework a night in elementary school.
20)  You got tummy time as a baby.
21)  You had a picture schedule growing up that was clearly posted in your bedroom.
22)  You never saw your educator parent during IEP season.  IEP season always stunk because that meant my dad would cook.  This lasted about 3 days (and 3 overcooked tortellini soup dinners) before we got take out. 
23)  You yourself are probably a teacher or future teacher.  Because what other job is as rewarding or important?   Answer?  Nothing. 
24)  You never had a problem scheduling observations during your own Teacher Candidate Training.
25)  You waited and counted down the days to Bring Your Child To Work Day because you got to pass out the paper and be your parent’s special helper.  No one passed out paper quite like me!  Rocked that!
26)  Children’s books were where you sought out guidance.  Your educator parent probably talked out the issue with you thoroughly and then handed you a perfectly chosen and aligned piece of literature with a character for you to emulate. 
27)  You still refer to children’s book’s characters for guidance and moral support.
28)  You wrote to authors as a child.
29)  Your teachers were your lifelong idols.
30)  Your play room was set up in centers.
31)  You had gender neutral toys to support fine and gross motor skills, social, emotional, and cognitive growth. 
32)  You entered school knowing how to read.
33)  You know that educators are the hardest working people in the biz.
34)  You parent had a behavior chart that you adhered to religiously. 
35)  You went to Disney over NJEA teacher’s convention.
36)  You were the first person to bring back your field trip parent chaperone form because you knew your educator parent had to apply and be approved for their personal days.
37)  You never went to summer camp.
38)  You couldn’t imagine (and wouldn’t want to) being raised by anyone other than an educator.  

This is just a short tongue in cheek look at the life of a "teacher kid" and I really could go on and on about the perks of being raised by an educator.

Have a fabulous night,

   Erin

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