3 observations I made while working with a full room of teens and their parents were: (1) More families need to set aside time in their schedules for creative projects and playtime
I know there are so many memes out there about parents rejoicing that they will get a bit of freedom when their kids go back to school. I feel that way for sure. I’m excited to get back to my regular office hours.
One of the teens, a 7th grader, told me school was already getting hard - even though it just started. I asked him if he ever used deep breathing as a coping strategy when things seem difficult or when he was experiencing nervousness? He said no - and he had never considered deep breathing to actually be a thing.
I spoke to the staff development director about my desire to go to the conference and bring my family since I was still nursing my baby. She looked at me like I was nuts. She told me she doubted that could happen. She asked if I thought this was a professional request to make? That discouraged me. It made me feel small and unworthy.
Going back-to-work when our daughter was three months old was brutal. I didn’t want to go back. I didn’t want to leave her chubby and snuggly body. I didn’t want to stop breastfeeding.
Schools are not always a great fit for all types of children and families. Some parents have painful memories of their own challenges with particular teachers or school settings.