By Kathy Hodson
I love my job. I teach kindergarten at a public school. Surrounding myself with children everyday has helped prepare me for motherhood. A recent conversation made me think, “Does having a teacher mom help prepare my son for school?” The other day, while eating lunch, my colleagues and I were talking about the pros and cons of having our kids attend the same school that we work in.
There is so much pressure on our kids to do well in school. They take high-stakes test that determine budgets for school systems. The standards are high even for the youngest of kids. When my son enters school he’ll have to deal with all of this along with the added pressure of having a teacher for a mom. In my “mom fantasy” my son and I would drive to school together, hang out for lunch and ride home together after school was over. We would love to talk about school and some of the situations we faced that day. Will we be able to do this when my son realizes that his mom is teaching in the room next door and knows his teacher? Will this inhibit my son’s personality? Will he be known as “Mrs. Hodson’s kid?” How will my teaching be affected with my son attending school? What happens if he is called into the office to talk to the principal (my boss)? I have lots of questions but luckily a little while to figure them out (my son is just turning 1 next month).
I do know that the best way to prepare my son for school is to teach him manners and self-confidence. Whether or not my son attends the same school that I teach in, I will give him the opportunity to develop his own personality and social skills. Character still plays an immensely important role in child development regardless if it can be measured with a test.