Do *Parents* No Longer Have Any Discipline?

[Megan's Mom]

I am also a teacher but of middle school students. For the last three years I have had a homeroom and each year I have at least one student that is consistantly tardy at least one day a week. Our homeroom starts at 7:28 and 1st period starts at 7:34 so it is a big deal when they come in late. It is especially a problem when a bus goes by every students home. Sometimes it is the students fault but most of the time it is the parents fault. wE have a lot of cases where they want a babysitter for siblings. We have a problem with truency at my rural school.

 

[kilee]

I really don't think the tardy log, or any log or record in a physician's office (someone made reference to this) is meant to be read by everyone else signing in.
I just know that it must be nice to live in such a perfect world where you've never had power interruption, missed buses (because they are 15 minutes early) and then have to shovel 2 feet of snow before you can get your car out, or any other mishap in the morning. Until you walk in someone elses shoe's-- don't judge.

 

[Serena]

Wow, I'm amazed on how judgemental people can be.

 

[Kallison]

At least they were honest about it, they could have lied and made up an excuse that wasn't true.

My son was late this am because we were both out at an Oscar party last night until 12:30 and I let him sleep in. Does that make me a bad parent? The kid is 13 and he loves movies so I let him stay up with his friend. He gets straight A's, never gives me a moments grief, has only been absent once this year because of a hand surgery. This morning he said "Thanks Mom that was a lot of fun". When he is an adult do you think he will remember being on time for school every single day and wasn't that great or the time that Mom let him sleep in and stay up late on a school night. Everyone might have their reasons, I don't worry about what other people are doing.

Just lat week I said to my DH did your parents ever intentionally let you stay home from school and he said no never. I said really, about once a year my Mom would look at me and my brother at the breakfast table and say "Hey let's go to New York City today". Did it scar me, make me irresponsible? Nope, not at all, it made wonderful memories, especially now that my brother is gone at the age of 45.

OK I'm off topic! I guess my reply is I don't think in the scheme of life it is a big deal.

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

When he is an adult do you think he will remember being on time for school every single day

I highy doubt it, but he may remember having to leave the house at 5:50 every morning when he doesn't have to be at school until 9:30.

 

[4greatboys]

If they are the same kids tardy over and over again well I could see that would be a problem. But for those that it happens to occasionally it shouldnt really be that big of a deal. We have been late to school before.
I have had other sick kids who were either sick all night or sick that am.
When my mom had cancer I was pg, taking her to radiation every am, dropping her off, going to work downtown (the same area I had just driven to) and working 40+ hours during the week and trying to run everything in my house and care for the 2 kids I had. If you dont think I didnt oversleep once or twice you would be mistaken.
At this time my oldest goes to school in another town 30 minutes from our house. I get up at 615--get him to school come home and take ds #2 directly to school. If I wind up behind a bad wreck I could be delayed making him tardy.
These times dont happen often but they do happen. Its certainly not because I dont care if my kids make there on time or not.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

I was going to tell the OP early on to put on the flame proof suit, because it was inevitable. I sat on my fingers , hoping for the best.

Well, it happened.

I would be very upset as a teacher if people were habitually late. As a parent, it makes me furious that other kids are eating up class time by arriving late and (of course) the teacher has to start over so they will be up to speed.

Occasionally.... I can take. If it's a habit - I have no tollerance for that. Our school is K-12 in the SAME BUILDING, so the dropping kids off at several different locations story is not applicable.

I have a problem with where this leads. Being late is no big deal. Not doing homework is no big deal. Not studying..... no big deal. Failing tests? No big deal. Which leads us back to No Child Left Behind.

To the OP... sorry I didn't warn you!!!!

 

[ripleysmom]

It's much easier to be on time when it is affecting one's paycheck I think.

 

[clh2]

Originally posted by Christine
I was stunned this morning!! But, let me say--I'm pretty anal.

always book the earliest appointment the specialist has so that my son misses a minimal amount of school. His school day does not start until 9:30. Unfortunately the doctor's office is about 30 minutes away and during rush hour it can be a long commute.

So, I was very happy that I was able to be efficient, have good traffic, a good appointment and make it to school at 10:00 a.m.

Am I the only one doing the math here? You have a 9:30 appointment, it takes 30 minutes to get from the dr. office to the school, yet you were lucky to arrive by 10:00. So assuming you had only a 5 minute appointment with the allergist, then you MUST HAVE BEEN SPEEDING to drive your son to school to get there in 25 minutes instead of 30 minutes. Who's lives are you putting in danger - because you feel the need to speed back to school to minimize the number of minutes your son misses of school?

Maybe the perfect on-time mom, who is able to get her kids out of the house by 5:50a.m. should just mind her own business. I personally think that is short of abusive. However, that is just my opinion.

I could go on and on...but I won't.

edited to add: I just assumed the appointment was at 9:30, because that's when my DD's clinic opens up... should have continued to mind my own business!

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Originally posted by ripleysmom
It's much easier to be on time when it is affecting one's paycheck I think.

Great point!

How would the "occasionally late is fine" posters feel if your child's TEACHER or PLAYGROUND SUPERVISOR was occasionally late?

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

I would be very upset as a teacher if people were habitually late.

Nowhere does the OP say the kids are habitually late, she has no idea. She walked into the office, with her late child, and read somebody's reason for being late and decided they have bad parents. Really nice. I'd suggest the OP MHOB from now on.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Originally posted by clh2
Am I the only one doing the math here? You have a 9:30 appointment, it takes 30 minutes to get from the dr. office to the school, yet you were lucky to arrive by 10:00. So assuming you had only a 5 minute appointment with the allergist, then you MUST HAVE BEEN SPEEDING to drive your son to school to get there in 25 minutes instead of 30 minutes. Who's lives are you putting in danger - because you feel the need to speed back to school to minimize the number of minutes your son misses of school?

Maybe the perfect on-time mom, who is able to get her kids out of the house by 5:50a.m. should just mind her own business. I personally think that is short of abusive. However, that is just my opinion.

I could go on and on...but I won't.

Ummmm... there really is no math to do unless I am reading it wrong.... the OP never stated the time of the appointment, just that the child's school day started at 9:30.

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

Originally posted by CJMickeyMouse
Great point!

How would the "occasionally late is fine" posters feel if your child's TEACHER or PLAYGROUND SUPERVISOR was occasionally late?

Are you actually saying you or your children have never been late for work or school? EVER? Wow!! You must be some kind of special person, I'm gonna try to be more like you and the OP in the future, because I'm just an ordinary, everyday Mom. I want to be you when I grow up!

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Originally posted by gymnasticsmom68
Nowhere does the OP say the kids are habitually late, she has no idea. She walked into the office, with her late child, and read somebody's reason for being late and decided they have bad parents. Really nice. I'd suggest the OP MHOB from now on.

Honestly... that was an assumption on my part. I am quite sure that if you ask anyone that works in a school office, there are children that are habitually late. Some may have a horrible home life, some may have no good reason. IMO one is easier to take than the other.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Originally posted by gymnasticsmom68
Are you actually saying you or your children have never been late for work or school? EVER?

That's exactly what I am saying!!!

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

Honestly... that was an assumption on my part. I am quite sure that if you ask anyone that works in a school office, there are children that are habitually late. Some may have a horrible home life, some may have no good reason. IMO one is easier to take than the other.

Well you know what they say about assuming. I think the OP should know what it means too.

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

Originally posted by CJMickeyMouse
That's exactly what I am saying!!!

Um, YEAH RIGHT!!

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Originally posted by gymnasticsmom68
Um, YEAH RIGHT!!

I hope you grow up soon. Like maybe immediately?

 

[ripleysmom]

"How would the "occasionally late is fine" posters feel if your child's TEACHER or PLAYGROUND SUPERVISOR was occasionally late?"

No problem. Stuff happens.

If it happened a lot well then they would be fired. But since I am the tax, and therefore salary, paying mommy if my child is late occasionally I do not expect to be criticized for it especially if someone does not possess all the facts.


For example, my mother died in October after being extremely ill all year. I tried to spend a lot of time with her last year and probably went to see her every 6 weeks or so.

During that time my husband was responsible for getting the kids ready for school and out the door. Now my husband is not nearly as good with getting the children ready as I am and it is possible that they could have been late as a result.

Should he be criticized for not being able to get the children to school on time? Nope I don't think so.....

 

[Karel]

Originally posted by clh2
Am I the only one doing the math here? You have a 9:30 appointment, it takes 30 minutes to get from the dr. office to the school, yet you were lucky to arrive by 10:00. So assuming you had only a 5 minute appointment with the allergist, then you MUST HAVE BEEN SPEEDING to drive your son to school to get there in 25 minutes instead of 30 minutes. Who's lives are you putting in danger - because you feel the need to speed back to school to minimize the number of minutes your son misses of school?

I don't think she said when the appointment was for, only that school started 9:30.

I am always amazed at the kids that are late to school and do think that part of life is teaching our kids to be on time. I manage to get my kids out on time everyday, why can't you? But I figure it's the school job to handle it.

OTH, I know that things do happen and we all have days that are not perfect. I, personally, cannot get my kid to soccer practice on time.