Working in education, I have learned so many valuable lessons when it comes to being a mom. Trust me when I say I have seen it all when it comes to various types of parenting, and I have taken many mental notes throughout the years about the type of mom I want to be for my own son. Here are just a few of the mental musings that have made me a better mom by working in public education…
1. Working in education has given me exposure to real life situations that I otherwise may not be privy to. I see so many awful things that my kids go through at school {parents who are never around, kids working night time jobs to support the family, kids selling illegal items to make ends meet…. You name it, I’ve seen it, sadly}. With this exposure, I am able to have real life conversations with my husband about how we can explain certain situations to our child when the time comes and how to make specific and sound decisions. I will make sure I am a good example to my son so he can see that honest hard work goes a long way.
2. Working in education has shown me the importance of quality education. I know that I need to do my homework if and when my child goes to public school. I want to ensure that he is exposed to a variety of classes, teachers, and programs. I also know that I need to start working on this NOW. Even though he is only two years old, schools fill up fast – and I want to have choices.
3. Working in education has helped me to see how perceptive kids are…when their parents don’t. Kids tell me {or anyone willing to listen} so much personal information about what goes on in their homes, and this helps me to see the importance of keeping private things private and never having disagreements in front of my child. I want to keep my son shielded from grown-up drama, and I want my personal business out of the school. I know that I can’t shield him from everything, but seeing how this sort of thing impacts children – it has really opened my eyes and makes me think about specific things before I act on them.
4. Working in education has shown me how important it is to be truly involved in every aspect of my child’s schooling. From homework to after school activities to just volunteering and being present on my child’s campus, all of these things make such a significant difference. When you are present, your children are less likely to make poor decisions in terms of behavior, and it even helps them make the kind of friends you would be happy to have in their lives. Our kids are so easily influenced – I want to be around to help him make the right decisions and to also help him learn from his mistakes.
5. Working in education has helped me be a better mom because I know the real-life value of reading to my child on a daily basis. Children are never too young to be read to! So many of the kids I see are so far below reading level and have such difficulties reading simple passages. As they get older, it is incredibly difficult to play catch-up on their reading gaps, and they just slowly fall through the cracks. It is disheartening to see students struggle to read even something as simple as the dictionary. I may not sit down every waking moment to read a book to my toddler, but I do make an effort to read as much as possible when I can.
6. Working in education has allowed me to understand that it is okay for my child to tell on others when the time is right. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t want my kid to be a snitch, but I want to know when someone says something ugly or negative about them. I want to know this so I can teach my child to have thick skin as well as how to handle situations that are sticky and still end up a winner on the other side.
What are some things that you have learned from your days in education as a student/teacher/volunteer that have helped shape you into the parent you are today?
