Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Does it even matter?

Okay, if you're German, don't take offense by this.  It's a generalization...

Why oh why do German's feel it their duty to try and "teach" me how to parent?  Especially those who don't even have kids of their own?  And over the most insignificant things too?  I dropped Eva off to school today.  Almost every day, Eva wears her pink cowgirl boots to school.  She loves them.  I love them.  She plays outside our house with them every day too.  Even in the dead heat of summer, she'll wear them.  She never complains of how hot her feet get, and seems to not be bothered by it, so I don't care if she wears them.  Why would I fight her on this?  It doesn't bother me, doesn't bother her, so why disrupt something good right?

Well, one of her teachers at school started getting after Eva this morning for wearing her boots again.  Then she turns to me and informs me that all of Eva's teachers (3 of them) told her she was not allowed to wear those boots outside anymore because they are too hot.  She was upset with Eva because she apparently didn't listen to them and wore them anyway.  However, they never informed me that she couldn't wear them.  I asked if Eva had been complaining of her feet being hot outside and her teacher said no, but they all thought it was best for her not to wear them.  I told her it didn't bother me if she wore them outside and if Eva wasn't complaining about them, it was fine.  She then proceeded to give me a lecture on the fact that apparently Eva is the boss in my house.  She said Eva was just playing a game with me and showing me who's boss by not listening to me as to what shoes to wear.  I told her I never said she couldn't wear the shoes because I don't care if she wears them.  I also said if I told Eva not to wear them, she wouldn't.  However, the teacher just continued to "give me pointers" on how to show Eva I was in control and not her and that she can't wear the boots.

It really gets under my skin when someone else feels it's their duty to teach me how to parent my child.  It especially bugs me when it's coming from someone who doesn't have kids of their own.  And, why does it seem so much more annoying coming from a German?  Maybe because they are the only ones that seem to feel it their duty to correct any kind of behavior that's not up to their standards.   Aka...remember the German woman who threw piping hot fries at Eva's face when she was three years old?  Or the German doctor who screamed at Gabriel on the top of his lungs because Gabe was trying to reach for another gummy bear, even though he didn't touch anything!?

Okay, now I'm just ranting and raving.  Let's just blame it on the pregnancy and being overly hot with no A/C right now.  I promise I really do like it here and I've met some really awesome Germans along the way.  This is just a stereotype.

Lindsey

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

In my house its called "Choosing your battles!" Push on the important stuff and let the other stuff go. Good for you.

marcie said...

I agree with ya,I wouldnt fight her either! Pink boots+Eva = adorable!! Now the German thing, yep, been there, done that!

The Duke said...

Good grief. I can't believe the teachers are having such a fit. Maybe they're jealous they don't have cute pink boots? Good grief.

chelsey said...

What a dumb thing for the teachers to pick a fight about. I'd buy a pair of pink boots for yourself and show up at school wearing. Just because I'd want to prove a point. That's snotty of me, but I'd parade my own pink boots right next to Eva's! Good luck with the rest of the year!

Seth and Natalie said...

This is so funny to me, because I had the opposite problem with Rylee last year. Every time she wore a pair of sandals the bus driver would tell me how it's getting kind of cold, don't you think? And unless she has on real shoes she will not be riding her bus. What? Like I don't know when it's too cold to wear sandals? Some people just want so much to be in charge of everything they'll try and show you how powerful they are and be jerky. Since when has it been too hot to wears shoes? That's dumb.

Jen Ranker said...

Oh to the snap! I'm proud of you for not slapping her face where she stood, or whipping on a guillotine choke (my signature move) just to prove a point. It probably would be uncomfortable at the moment anyway, since your preggers:)Seriously though, that is pretty annoying. Especially since you have to see them everyday. I don't know Chelsey, but I like how she thinks. Maybe some pink boots are in your future? I'll keep my eye out for a sale. Miss you tons! and your cutie kiddos!

Tana said...

Wow. That would make me so so so angry and that is a nice way of saying it. Ha! What a lame thing to pick a fight about and address issues that she has absolutely no idea about.

Jaclyn M said...

I HATE it when people try to tell me how to parent my children. And I especially hate when people tell me that my child is misbehaving when they haven't done anything wrong. People basically just irritate me when it comes to my kids. I also agree with your other reader about picking your battles, but in this case it appears that the battle is with the teachers not the kids....