My girls (twins) are 4 years old and they attend a 3 year preschool twice a week. Their classroom is very small and only has 6 kids (including my girls). My girls are typically pretty good girls but sometimes can be a little clingy when I drop them off. All considered today they dropped off very well (even though at the time there was no electricity due to the rolling power outages). When I picked them up at 11:30 am I could tell that things seemed a little tense. I asked the teacher if they had a good day and she said that she had written me a note. I was a little stunned and she said that they had been very whiny and then she paused and looked at me and said that they were whining to the point of being annoying. I thought this was a strange and almost unprofessional way of communicating the days events to me. Am I being sensitive? I have been really upset about this and I feel like I have done something to cause this clinginess etc.
That's right, only MOM'S have the right to call their chilren whiny and annoying!
Yes, SHE was being unprofessional (maybe had a moment where she felt a comfort level with you that YOU didn't).
And YES, you are being sensitive.
Since every day is different with SINGLE 4 year olds, I'd imagine it's doubly tricky with 2 of them!
:)
Next week will be better.
She could have used more tact absolutely. Hearing someone else say that about your child is never easy for a parent to hear. True or not.
However, I would be more concerned about how that teacher treated my child if they were so annoyed with them. Being annoyed, and acting annoyed at your child are 2 different things.
My hope is that regardless of how she felt about the whining, that she was still sensitive to your child’s needs and fears. If she was, great. If not, totally unprofessional and she should not be a teacher to young children IMO.
That would be my concern.
Well that is par for the course, being a Preschool Teacher.
Kids, that age... whine and can be clingy.
It is how, she as a Teacher, handles or redirects them.
Things like this happens.
Kids whine.
Sure, it can be irritating.
But gee, she is a 'Professional" and this should not have thrown her for a loop.
Well, she was honest. It wasn't the most diplomatic thing for a teacher to say to a parent but sometimes kids can be whiny to the point of being annoying. I know that I have felt that way about my own two children and I would be surprised if you have never felt that way yourself.
She should have used more tact when speaking to you about the difficult day they have had but I hope that you will cut her a break because it probably was a difficult day for all of them there with the power being off and all. If this is the one and only time that she has said something like this to you, then just chalk it up to her having a bad day with the kids (like you and I have sometimes) and that tomorrow will be another, and hopefully better day, for your girls and the teacher.
Sounds like teacher needs to figure out how to deal with little people better. Good grief if you are teaching four year olds they are going to be WHINEY. I am whiney and I am all grown up. Give her a break, perhaps she was having a girl problem or about to anyway...
Wonder if they're coming down with something? That whininess used to be my daughter's first hint to us that she was getting a cold.
On the other hand, I wonder if the *teacher* ic oming down wit hsomethign! She sounds a little crabby today...
Yes, she should have phrased things differently. You probably haven't done anything to cause the clinginess. My son acts clingy when I drop him off, but not when my husband drops him off.
It probably was not the best choice of words. Disruptive might have been better... although, unless they actually prevented the teacher from carrying on the classes planned activities or dramatically interfered with it, it might not be accurate, hence her choice: Perhaps their whining made it much more difficult to proceed with the days routine, and required lots of attention from the teacher when she wasn't prepared to be giving it at those particular moments. I wouldn't worry too much (just after this one day) that YOU have done anything to cause them to be clingy. Goodness, they were at school with no electricity. I'm sure they were whiny. They were probably a little unnerved by the rolling power outage, or just the brutal weather in general. If it is a pattern of behavior with them, then I would look further into it. It might be a 'twin' thing even, to be clingy, since they are presumably accustomed to being together. Were they clingy to HER or clingy to each other?
I think I would at least follow up more with the teacher and find out WHAT they were so whiny about?
this does seem odd that she would call them annoying. She does not sound professional. As a teacher I would never use that word when talking to a parent. Is this their regular teacher? Is she a certified, experienced educator? If they are often whiny at home you need to work on this, but you really cant help them being clingy at drop off that is normal for 4yr olds.
My son is 4 and this is his 3rd year at his school....He still doesn't go fulltime, only 3 days per week.... 70% of the time he STILL hangs on me when I try to leave... The teachers and my friends told me it's probably because- on the days he doesn't go to school we do all fun things.. In his head, he thinks he's missing out on something.. It's also a power thing to try and hang over me.... I thought it was abnormal to STILL be doing this but "some" moms said they deal with the same thing...
NOW about what the teacher said, I wouldn't like that AT ALL!!! Very unprofessional... I would go to the director and just let them know the comment the teacher made to you....
I think she could have phrased it better but I'm willing to cut her slack for dealing with a lot of extra stress due to the power etc. I think she was just saying to you that they are NOT normally annoying at all and just letting you know it had been a rough day. I dont' think she was blaming you in any way. But instead giving you the info you need so you can look at where they might be coming down with something or wether they might need to talk about how scary or stressful or what ever it was for them not having the power. Personally, if this is just a 3 yo preschool they should have cancelled.
The teachers response to you is very UNprofessional !! I would speak to the director of the pre school and let her know about her behavior when picking up your children. I think it is just a phase that your girls are going through, I highly doubt anything you have done is the cause behind this. I work in a pre school and we would never approach a parent in this way no matter how " annoying" (ugh really... I cant get over she said that to you.) they may be in a day. All kids have off days. I hope things get better at drop off time for you !!
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