Some moms are, some moms aren’t — friends with their child’s teacher. It’s good to have a good relationship, but how good is too good?
Moms facing off this week
Audrey McClelland, founder of Mom Generations, and her friend Kameron Scampoli, founder My Wrinkle In Time.
The scenario
Your child is with his teacher six hours out of the day.
His teacher watches him grow.
His teacher knows his strengths and his weaknesses.
His teacher knows a lot about you, from your child.
The teacher is a very special person in your child’s life (I’m hoping).
But how are you with your child’s teacher? Are you close? Is that a line you won’t cross?
Question: Are you friends with your child’s teacher?
Read more on meeting your child’s teacher >>
My oldest son is in first grade right now. We were lucky enough to have him get the same teacher he had from kindergarten, and I just love her. I bonded with her immediately when he was in kindergarten and I have really felt a closeness and a friendship with her. She takes care of my son all day long. She looks out for him. She teaches him. She cares about him, and I love that. She’s one of those teachers whom I texted on Mother’s Day wishing her a happy day because I adore her that much.
She’s always there for us, and when Matt was in the hospital in February, she cooked and baked for us and dropped it off. She’s become a member of our little tribe. She’s someone who — when William graduates from high school — will be right there with us clapping and crying. She’s that kind of friend to our family. And I hope that our other sons get her; I’m praying!
This is my son’s first real year of school and I’m not friends with his teacher. That being said, I try to be friendly with her, but I feel that the student-parent-teacher relationship should stay on a professional level. I wouldn’t want my child to suffer any ramifications of a fall-out, if it were to happen. I also wouldn’t want to think that my child might get special consideration that would make other children or parents resentful.
On the flip side of that, I wouldn’t want them to be overly tough on my child because they didn’t want to appear too lenient. As friends, you share so much personal information and I want my child’s teacher to remain objective. It all boils down to a conflict of interests in my opinion.
More on your child’s teachers
Etiquette tips for teacher gifts
When a teacher doesn’t like your child
Working with your kids’ teachers
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