“It’s just babysitting, how hard can it be?” From the mouth of a parent.

Every job and profession has those specific people that make ridiculous and totally uncalled comments about them, as a teacher I have had a fair share of such comments. Today however, what was said to me today trumps all the experiences I had.
A girl in my class has the habit of always coming late. Lesson commences by 8:00am, but this girl comes by 9:30am. When I ask her the reason for her lateness, she never has any tangible reason to give. Perhaps this is due to a little negligence on the part of the parents, I thought.

The Mom came for open day (the day parents ask about their kid’s performance in school) yesterday and I mentioned it. I politely asked why the kid usually comes late, hoping there was no issue to it. I was not met with a good response. She made mention of how my job is just to teach, not meddle in other affairs that does not concern me. Well my student habitually coming late to school is a huge concern to me ma’am. If it wasn’t then I am not doing my job properly. (I did not tell her that though, there was no point in it). I just could not help but think of how people just choose to be horrible in their interaction with others. Besides, I am not a stranger. I’m her kid’s teacher. I backed off on the matter, as we are always told to do.

Just some hours later another parent called me to inform me that she would be coming to school today, which is Saturday. I told her we do not open the school premises on weekends. But she would not have it.
“What would you be doing that you can’t meet up?”
I can’t meet up because it is not work day? Jokingly I replied her that I needed some rest too. It had been a really busy week, with a lot activities. Her reply?
“You talk as if you do all the work in the world. You are basically, baby sitting. How hard can that be?”

At this point I should not be that surprised, considering what I experienced some hours ago. But I wondered just how much more of those ridiculous remarks I would hear in a day.
I’m not in any way portraying all the parents in the same vein. I’ve had favorable experiences with many parents, that will make an article for another day. But of course, there will always be these negative experiences.
Mine were what I had to hear in a day. There were really what could have caused disappointment and even depression. I was in essence being told that my job had that little significance. However I am one person that does not allow all that to get to me in any way.

But those sentences I was told kept ringing in my head. And I hope letting them out here can help.
It was a rather boring rant. Thanks for reading through.

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