Meet The Parents

MTP. That one 15 minute of glory for teachers to expel 3 months of exasperation over your kids problems while making you feel like the dirt you are.

The afternoon began badly enough. The couple before me extended their appointed time and the mummy kept arguing that her daughter is not what the teacher described her to be. The father even said "I'm not ashamed to admit that my daughter is a smart girl". Yeah, the teacher agreed but her attitude problem left much more to be desired.

The fat man after the couple got the "your son is smart but talks nonstop" routine. Then, it was my turn and the whole circus started. Apparantly, no one was more talkative, disruptive, loud and difficult to work with than my Danial. While I sat there growing smaller and smaller by the minute knowing that the other parents could hear every single word, dear teacher would go on and on about my kid's negative traits and somehow made me feel that whatever Danial did was actually my fault.

I naively thought that by attending these sessions, I could be actively involved in monitoring my son's academic performance and receive/give feedbacks on his school's progress. Unfortunately, I discovered that his good grades were "not that big a deal" and that disrupting the whole class is actually his main forte. Geez, it's beginning to get real embarrasing attending these meetings.

I didn't fault the teacher. While I understand that Danial might have a problem in social behaviour, it would be less awkward if these were laid out to me in private instead of in his classroom for all to hear. I just wished I could attend the session alone without The Dad. He made me clamped up. I couldn't open up and explain more to the teacher. Even if I did manage to say something, I sound like a pathetic girl who were caught with the hand in the cookie jar.

Maybe I'd do like what my parents did to me. Don't bother about MTP and just don't turn up. Year in and year out, I'd be the last one to receive my report book at the end of the day because my 'very busy parents' were too busy to bother. But of course, I don't want to be like that. I knew how it felt like. It was horrible.

So there I was, subjecting myself to utter misery and just sat there stupidly while dear teacher read me the riot act.

Danial got a good scolding from The Dad. I couldn't help feeling sorry for him. It was his birthday after all. What a way to celebrate. We stopped at my parent's place to eat the cake that both of us bought and both grandparents were singing the "children....what do you expect" song. Of course it was not his parents, so afterward, The Dad was complaining about my parents attitude on the whole thing. I maintain good relations by just shutting the hell up. No point in explaining something that's just not worth explaining. Worse comes to worst, I'd be at fault again. I'd wager my 30 gig MP4 player though that his parents would've said the same thing. Hah!

While I knew that kids can have split personalities when it comes to both worlds (home and school) I just thought we'd cut them some slack. They barely have enough time to breathe in the first place, what with homework and remedials and supplementary classes and tests and exams, I thought they could be allowed to be just them. Children.

I had a good talk with Danial that night while The Dad was sleeping. He was at his lowest and was quiet throughout the evening. It's the only time to have a heart to heart without having someone pitching in their own opinions. I told him how much I love him and that he shouldn't be doing the things he did in class. I told him that I was disappointed at his report and I expect better feedback from his teacher in future. He vehemently disputes the claims of "pulling Edward's hair" but I told him that he is solely responsible for his actions and that we will only give him credit where it's due.

I hugged him and whispered "happy birthday and goodnight". He told me he loved me too and curled up beside me waiting for sleep to come. I watched him sleep and chided Matin for jumping around so much. Both boys were out within 15 minutes.

Exhausted, I alternated channels between the finals of Project Runway Season 4 and Americal Idol Season 7 before switching everything off and calling it a day.

Hrumph....the joy of motherhood.