Create a Healthy, Happy Relationships with Your Kid's Pre-School Teacher

Have you ever looked at those teacher gift suggestions and thought to yourself, "I wonder if a teacher actually wants something like this or if they'd rather I just give them a gift card"? Now, have you ever wondered about what a teacher wants from parents outside the realm of appreciation presents? Teachers, particularly pre-school teachers, don't go into the field for the glory or the money, they go into it because they have a passion for it and that means they want to make a difference, but they can't do that without the parents help. They want parents to be involved, but in a way that's helpful, not demeaning.

Do: Get To Know Them

Your child's pre-school teacher is (gasp) more than just a teacher. As it turns out, they have a life outside of their job which often impacts who they are as a teacher and the lessons they teach. Your child spends so much of their time with this person (who has likely grown to really love your kid) so they want you to know who they are as a person and as a teacher. No two teachers are exactly alike, and when you understand your child's teacher, you'll be able to better understand their teaching style and trust them a little more.

Don’t: Expect An Email Reply After Hours

Your child's teacher may have a great relationship with you and love your kid (your kid may even be their absolute favorite) but that doesn't mean your child is a higher priority to them than their own life. You don't want to have to answer work emails or calls after hours, and neither does your child's teacher. You're welcome to send them messages during those hours if that's the only time you are able to do it with your own personal schedule, but don't expect a reply until the next business day.

Do: Ask for Ways To Help Your Kid at Home

Teachers love parents who are engaged and want to help their child succeed. When a parent actually shows interest in their child's education, teachers know that the child has a much higher chance at succeeding and mastering a skill than a child whose parents aren't involved. So, if you're interested in figuring out what the kids are doing in class so that you can help encourage the same behavior/lessons at home - ask! The teacher will be happy to fill you in and give you tips for helping at home.

Don’t: Blame the Teacher for Your Kid’s Behavior Problems

As much as your pre-school teacher is trained and knowledgeable in running a class full of crazy kids, they're still human and there's only so much they can do to control individual behavior. If your child's teacher sees misbehaving, then they will do whatever they can to correct it, but the fact is that there are usually 6 kids to one teacher and they only have so much power. Your child will likely pick up bad behavior from other kids in class, and other kids will pick it up from your child, too. Don't blame the teacher, instead, just send a note letting them know you're working on this behavior at home and you'd like their support to watch for it in school. Chances are good the teacher will be more than happy to help.