School is back in session and probably has been for weeks now. The kids are slowly getting into a routine but sometimes when the school year starts parents and students may realize that the new year isn't running quite as smoothly as they would like. Your kids may come home telling you that they don't like school or that they don't want to go back. You are trusting your children into the hands of someone else for the bulk of the day and you want them to have a positive experience. I have put together a list of tips for those new school year complaints and some ideas to help if your son or daughter happens to be making them.
Tips for new school year complaints
Complaint: My teacher yells at me!
I have heard this uttered from every single one of my kids at one time or another. Trust me, I understand that as a parent your first response is to wonder why the teacher is yelling at your child. Heck, I'm the only one that should be yelling at my child! Remember, that there are always two sides to every story. Listen to your child explain the situation. Ask questions that may help shed light on the issue, but {don't miss this!} don't jump to conclusions.
I have found that the best way to read a teachers tone and see how they run their classroom is to actually get inside the class. Volunteer your time and spend some time quietly observing. One of my kids complained that his teacher yelled at him, when really, their booming voice and stern direction was just something my child wasn't used to. Observing this first hand gave me the opportunity to evaluate the situation myself and realize that this wasn't really an issue that I needed to be concerned about, but instead gave us the opportunity to talk about how in life people communicate in many different ways.
Complaint: I hate school!
Spend some time listening to your child tell you the reasons why they hate school. If your child was one that previously loved going to school, find out what has changed. Your child may not want you to solve their problem, they may just want someone to listen to them.
Complaint: The work is too hard!
Finding the proper fit for your child educationally can be a delicate balance. This complaint can go both ways {the work is too easy!}. You may want your child to focus on a more academic track than they are ready for. Knowing your kids strengths and weaknesses in the classroom and having an open relationship to be able to talk to your child's counselor and teachers will help you find the best fit for your child. You are your child's best advocate.
Complaint: I don't have enough time to eat my lunch!
This is more of an elementary school issue than something you will run into in the later grades. I actually heard this perpetually from one of my kids and it was an issue that came up every year as they started the new school year. I took some time to look at the schedule on the school website and then joined them for lunch to see what that time of day really looked like. I'm not saying the school did it perfectly, but there were suggestions that I made to my child that made this part of their day less rushed.
Compliant: That kid is mean to me!
Take the time as a parent to access this situation. If there is not an immediate bullying issue but rather two children not getting along, then spend some time listening to your child. I always found that asking them to explain the issue they were having and then roll playing some words they could use if they encounter the issue again, seemed to help.
When my daughter was in kindergarten there was a mean girl who was constantly picking fights with her. Every day I would hear a new story about recess or free time that included this girl not being very nice to my daughter. While I monitored the situation to make sure she wasn't in any real danger, we also daily prayed for this child {Matthew 5:44}. By the end of October, the two girls were getting along and even having play dates together!
These are just a few of the new school year complaints that you will hear. What are some of the ones you have heard? I would love to see how you have handled them.
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