Ultimate Parenting Wisdom

I must admit, I don't have any.

I'm not an idiot and occasionally I make the right decision.  Well, hmmm.... occasionally I make good decisions.  I don't know what my good vs. bad decision ratio is, but I think I'm on the right track most of the time.

Parenting is hard.  Sometimes it's good to take other's input or advice and sometimes it's just better not to listen to anyone.  Just tell them to "shove it" when they have an opinion.  You know?  Just fuck off, will you?

Anyway, then there's the school.  There are teachers, counselors, administrators and other educational staff.  They work there (at the school, for the district, whatever) and they see the work that your child does and they can make recommendations on what your child needs based on what they see.  Now this could be helpful and this could not...

I'm a "go with the flow" kind of person.  There must be a REASON why my child is slated to go to this particular school, so why try to change it?  What if I have him transferred from this particular school to the one that his friends' parents have decided to send them to and then he has a terrible experience?  Is it because I went against the laws of the Universe?  Is it a sin to change schools simply to keep him with his friends?

What if my daughter asks to be put into a higher math class than her teacher recommends? I, as the parent, am the Ultimate Authority and have the power to override the teacher's recommendation.  It's a process.  You need to jump through a few hoops, explain to a few people WHY you want it to happen, get told by those people that you may be making a GRAVE mistake, that there is a reason WHY the teacher MAKES these recommendations, but if you are willing to TAKE ON that responsibility, then BY ALL MEANS override the teacher's recommendation.

Yeah, fuck you.  Give me the damn form so I can move her into the class that gives her a sense of self-worth.  And stop offering classes that don't challenge students.  Expect more, teach them to expect more, set the bar so that they can reach for something rather than become bottom dwellers.  People don't always perform to their capabilities, but they typically will perform to the expectations that have been communicated to them.