Dear Future Me,
If by the time you read this letter you are sending your children to childcare centre, please remember the following things.
1) Your kids are not the only kids in the classroom
Of course you will make sure that the teachers-student ratio are okay, but remember that things happen in the classroom. Sometimes another teacher falls sick and one of the assistant teacher is assigned to another class. Sometimes your kids' classmate pees in his pants and one of the teachers needs to get out of the classroom to get the mop and rinse the pants.
Anything can happen in the classroom and remember that your kids' teachers are mothers of at least ten to twelve kids of the same age.
2) There are new teachers and it takes time for them to get used to the routine or sometimes you change your kids' shoes or socks and they are not used to them
Sometimes things get mixed up.
You may not find your kids' new socks because the teachers do not recognize their new socks.
You may feel like "these teachers have showered my kids for months and still cannot remember my kid's towel???" First, remember rule #1, And second, new teachers come in at least once a year. Even during my research work in other preschools, every year I see new faces.
You may find a towel in your bag that does not belong to your kid's. You may find your beloved ziplock bag that you nicely put to store your kid's clothes. Remember that your kids are not the only kids being showered. It is a chaotic situation in which your teachers try to teach your kids independence, while your kids may take their own sweet time to wear their clothes, and the teachers need to balance between teaching your kids independence and remembering the long queue of other children (and their lunch that will be delayed!)
3) Your kids may lose their balance when they play at the playground
Kids, being kids, love running around!
You may question about your kid's bruises, but do not judge too quickly or be too suspicious (unless you really really feel signs of abuse - and even if you see signs of abuse, do not spread in social media too fast).
When there was a case of a child abuse in one of the preschool, during my research time one of the preschool principal told me that this teacher was the only teacher that wants to take the kid. That kid was famous to be difficult. See? The teachers have their own story that are unknown by the media. Of course you cannot justify the 'abuse', but in real life, remember that the teachers work long hours and with lots of kids (even if they have the right ratio, there are still LOTS of kids to handle considering that they are of the same age. Imagine you have quadruplets!). Remember that these teachers, like you mothers, are expected to be super-woman. They need to take care of your kids the whole day and prepare the lesson plan or activities or outings or letters for YOU.
Dear Future Me,
before you complain to your principal, please think through these three points.
Hugs,
Myself in 2016
If by the time you read this letter you are sending your children to childcare centre, please remember the following things.
1) Your kids are not the only kids in the classroom
Of course you will make sure that the teachers-student ratio are okay, but remember that things happen in the classroom. Sometimes another teacher falls sick and one of the assistant teacher is assigned to another class. Sometimes your kids' classmate pees in his pants and one of the teachers needs to get out of the classroom to get the mop and rinse the pants.
Anything can happen in the classroom and remember that your kids' teachers are mothers of at least ten to twelve kids of the same age.
2) There are new teachers and it takes time for them to get used to the routine or sometimes you change your kids' shoes or socks and they are not used to them
Sometimes things get mixed up.
You may not find your kids' new socks because the teachers do not recognize their new socks.
You may feel like "these teachers have showered my kids for months and still cannot remember my kid's towel???" First, remember rule #1, And second, new teachers come in at least once a year. Even during my research work in other preschools, every year I see new faces.
You may find a towel in your bag that does not belong to your kid's. You may find your beloved ziplock bag that you nicely put to store your kid's clothes. Remember that your kids are not the only kids being showered. It is a chaotic situation in which your teachers try to teach your kids independence, while your kids may take their own sweet time to wear their clothes, and the teachers need to balance between teaching your kids independence and remembering the long queue of other children (and their lunch that will be delayed!)
3) Your kids may lose their balance when they play at the playground
Kids, being kids, love running around!
You may question about your kid's bruises, but do not judge too quickly or be too suspicious (unless you really really feel signs of abuse - and even if you see signs of abuse, do not spread in social media too fast).
When there was a case of a child abuse in one of the preschool, during my research time one of the preschool principal told me that this teacher was the only teacher that wants to take the kid. That kid was famous to be difficult. See? The teachers have their own story that are unknown by the media. Of course you cannot justify the 'abuse', but in real life, remember that the teachers work long hours and with lots of kids (even if they have the right ratio, there are still LOTS of kids to handle considering that they are of the same age. Imagine you have quadruplets!). Remember that these teachers, like you mothers, are expected to be super-woman. They need to take care of your kids the whole day and prepare the lesson plan or activities or outings or letters for YOU.
Dear Future Me,
before you complain to your principal, please think through these three points.
Hugs,
Myself in 2016
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