Overbearing and Negligent Parents

Was able to read the article of Queena Lee-Chua in PDI last Saturday.

It was an enlightening piece called "What Teachers Wish Parents Knew". When I read this:

Teachers dread the Overbearing Parent. This father or mother somehow manages to insert himself or herself into various school activities, whether as official parent representative or unofficial class adviser or expert.

For a while, I wondered if she was talking about me. Hahahahahahaha! (Side story: I told S that he if he wants our boys to be in his alma mater, he should be active in the parents' auxiliary. Mabait naman, nakinig.)

My mom who was very active in school while all of us were there didn't *seem* to be overbearing. She volunteered as lunch mother while my brother was in school, and she was part of our school's livelihood committee (they gave work to the women from West Crame).

In the same light, Queena defines a "negligent parent" --

At the opposite end is the Negligent Parent (NP). This father or mother never attends school activities, sends the yaya to parent-teacher conferences, and places upon the tutor the responsibility (and the blame) for the children’s performance.

I've heard of stories like that. And it's sad. I believe that it is very important for parents to be active in the education of their children -- as tutors at home, as part of the school's parent council or auxiliary, as volunteers for the school's activities. In many ways, this goes back to a quantity time vs quality time issue.

While we think (at least I had thought before!) that we can eventually let our kids go and try to sit back and relax a bit, the issues change (from nursing to toilet training to social issues to school subjects).

It's never ending. Which is why, when we become parents, we should all be ready. We have to be in it for the long haul...but that issue is another post altogether.

So, are you an overbearing parent or a negligent parent? =)