Quick! Is attending MS open house really that important?

[Anonymous]

I was really surprised by this, but middle school ended up being more important than elementary school. Elementary school had other chances to meet the teachers. In middle school, it was the only time to meet most of them, plus each teacher gave useful info about when to contact them (some said things like if your kid is doing more than 30 minutes of work for my class a night, I want to know). It honestly would not have occurred to me that a middle school teacher would ever want to hear from parents.

Others laid out project timelines, which was really helpful, like "they have a big paper in the spring, but they pick their topic in December before break and can get a head start using such and such guidelines." That was really helpful to learn because my kid plays a time consuming Spring sport, so I set a reminder in my calendar for December to ask my kid to make sure they got all the needed info from their teacher. A more organized kid might not have needed the nudge, but without back to school night I never would have known.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This post and this forum are so ridiculous. I posted last week about high school open house and majority told me not to even go! I swear you’re all contrarian!

Wait—you’re surprised that hundreds of random strangers on the internet have differing opinions? Is this your first day online?

[Anonymous]

I go, in part because I have a boy who tells me nothing and also struggles with executive function. I look for the parents of girls that I know (yes, I'm gender stereotyping) so that when something inevitably falls through the cracks, I can ask one of these parents what's going on.

[Anonymous]

I would go only because your kid wants you to go and see her project. Otherwise I would skip it.

My kids are in middle and high school and I didn’t go to either since they didn’t care. I am a HS teacher and had one class with only four parents. Some classes had more. It’s not as big of a deal at the secondary level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This post and this forum are so ridiculous. I posted last week about high school open house and majority told me not to even go! I swear you’re all contrarian!

I posted on that one and told you not to go, while I’m posting here and telling OP to go. The difference is her kid specifically asked her to be there. Otherwise it’s still a huge waste of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is baffling. Who doesn't want to see the classrooms, put a face to the names of the teachers, see the places you child spends their day?? Not to mention the lesson you teach your child. They'll care about school as much as you do.

Meh. None of this seems important. By middle school they should be having their own experiences without mommy hovering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is baffling. Who doesn't want to see the classrooms, put a face to the names of the teachers, see the places you child spends their day?? Not to mention the lesson you teach your child. They'll care about school as much as you do.

Me. I don’t need to see any of that. How does that make you a better parent, seeing where they spend their day and knowing what their teachers look like?

It doesn't make you a better parent, you either are or you aren't. I bet you didn't check out who was working at the daycare center either.

[Anonymous]

My kid said don’t bother going, so it’s not high on my list of priorities this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is baffling. Who doesn't want to see the classrooms, put a face to the names of the teachers, see the places you child spends their day?? Not to mention the lesson you teach your child. They'll care about school as much as you do.

Me. I don’t need to see any of that. How does that make you a better parent, seeing where they spend their day and knowing what their teachers look like?

It doesn't make you a better parent, you either are or you aren't. I bet you didn't check out who was working at the daycare center either.

What does “check out” mean? I dropped my kids at daycare everyday and met all the teachers and administrators that way. But I’m guessing you mean computer searches and background checks - which of course I did not do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is baffling. Who doesn't want to see the classrooms, put a face to the names of the teachers, see the places you child spends their day?? Not to mention the lesson you teach your child. They'll care about school as much as you do.

+1

WTH. I'd be embarrassed not to have this knowledge of the school, which other parents have.

"Wow didn't you think Ms. Lee seemed really nice? Idk but Larla says she's strict. What did you think? I'm glad she said not to stress about the fall project because Larla was worried."

"oh idk I really didn't feel like going to the open house. The parking is so annoying! Ya know??"

X six classes

Like, why have kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is baffling. Who doesn't want to see the classrooms, put a face to the names of the teachers, see the places you child spends their day?? Not to mention the lesson you teach your child. They'll care about school as much as you do.

Me. I don’t need to see any of that. How does that make you a better parent, seeing where they spend their day and knowing what their teachers look like?

So if your spouse invites you to work happy hours so you can put faces to names, you're like no, not interested!

These are the people your child deals with. And the op's child wants the parent to go.

Sorry... it's embarrassing and sad when the kids are talking about their parents attending the night before and you know your parents just didn't give a s*** to come. Your disinterest in your child's life speaks volumes.

[Anonymous]

What a bunch of helicopters! You aren’t needed in your kid’s relationships with their teachers. You don’t need to see what the teacher is wearing and your opinion on whether or not the teacher is nice (like you can even tell in 10 minutes) isn’t of any value. Your kids can handle middle school without you seeing the desks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is baffling. Who doesn't want to see the classrooms, put a face to the names of the teachers, see the places you child spends their day?? Not to mention the lesson you teach your child. They'll care about school as much as you do.

Me. I don’t need to see any of that. How does that make you a better parent, seeing where they spend their day and knowing what their teachers look like?

So if your spouse invites you to work happy hours so you can put faces to names, you're like no, not interested!

These are the people your child deals with. And the op's child wants the parent to go.

Sorry... it's embarrassing and sad when the kids are talking about their parents attending the night before and you know your parents just didn't give a s*** to come. Your disinterest in your child's life speaks volumes.

Middle school kids do not talk about who’s parents attended the open house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is baffling. Who doesn't want to see the classrooms, put a face to the names of the teachers, see the places you child spends their day?? Not to mention the lesson you teach your child. They'll care about school as much as you do.

Me. I don’t need to see any of that. How does that make you a better parent, seeing where they spend their day and knowing what their teachers look like?

So if your spouse invites you to work happy hours so you can put faces to names, you're like no, not interested!

These are the people your child deals with. And the op's child wants the parent to go.

Sorry... it's embarrassing and sad when the kids are talking about their parents attending the night before and you know your parents just didn't give a s*** to come. Your disinterest in your child's life speaks volumes.

Middle school kids do not talk about who’s parents attended the open house.

Exactly. Kids at this age care if their parents attend games, performances, competitions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What a bunch of helicopters! You aren’t needed in your kid’s relationships with their teachers. You don’t need to see what the teacher is wearing and your opinion on whether or not the teacher is nice (like you can even tell in 10 minutes) isn’t of any value. Your kids can handle middle school without you seeing the desks.

Seriously. Yet they are patting themselves on the back for their superior parenting. It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.