For the first two years of his life, my son had a stay-at-home mom. We were constant companions, road buddies attached at the hip. I loved our time together, but I always worried he might be at a disadvantage. My biggest fear was that he’d show up on the first day of preschool without a clue, and maybe I overcompensated a little. I took him to Early Years Centres and joined a local group for first-time mothers, arranging playdates for mommies and babies. I made sure he knew his ABC’s, 123′s, colours and shapes before I began my studies last fall. We conquered everything – except the potty.
After school started, that all stopped. I was so relieved the pressure was off me, I took it for granted that his teachers were doing it all. They don’t need me – they’re the experts. My focus shifted to my own education. I just didn’t have time for his anymore. Each week, his teacher sent a note home with the daily report: Remember to review with your child this weekend! I would make a mental note and thought I’ll get around to it later. I had the best of intentions, but it didn’t happen week after week.
About a month ago, I was looking through his daily work, as usual, but this time I stopped and asked him to show me how he had done his work. I will never forget the way his whole face lit up as he demonstrated the curves of the letter B. ”See, Mommy, up and down and around and around,” with his big fat crayon. I couldn’t have been more proud. I ran to the media room to show my husband, then I grabbed a stack of copy paper and asked the genius to show me more. Triangles. Squares. Numbers. Half an hour later, I could no longer see the living room floor, but I realized the difference a little encouragement and affirmation from parents makes. Teachers shouldn’t have to do it by themselves. As parents, we can complement the teacher’s work just by taking an interest in it.
Unity
I dreamed I stood in a studio
And watched two sculptors there,
The clay they used was a young child’s mind
And they fashioned it with care.
One was a teacher:
the tools she used were books and music and art;
One was a parent
With a guiding hand and gentle loving heart.
And when at last their work was done,
They were proud of what they had wrought.
For the things they had worked into the child
Could never be sold or bought!
And each agreed she would have failed
if she had worked alone.
For behind the parent stood the school,
and behind the teacher stood the home!
-Cleo V. Swarat
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