I'm no longer the Out-Of-Touch Parent

I make no secret of the fact that Logan's schooling, thus far, has been difficult. It's been a combination of behavioural issues (Sensory Processing Disorder and Anxiety), but also not having the right support network within his school - and as a parent it's been very difficult. Difficult to send my son to school 5-days a week and hoping that he's treated nicely. Difficult to go to work and hope that I won't get a phone call to go and pick him up over some trivial issue. It's hard to not get emotional when it's your child, and you feel that they're being mistreated.

Each year Logan has been at school his teachers have improved, slowly. His Reception year was wrought with frustration at a teacher that was a major part of his problems, and formed no part in a solution whatsoever. And the Principal wasn't much better. Year One was better - we had a teacher that, even though I felt he was labelled 'the naughty kid', she wanted to help him. She initiated avenues for us that meant identifying some of his issues, which has enabled us to move forward.

This year, he is two days in and she's amazing. And amazing in that I want to go to school and just hug her.

As a working mother, it is SO hard to drop your kid off at school (and for me, I drop him off at 7:20am, so at before school care!) and not know what they're up to, who is teaching them, or what kind of effect it will have on him at home. We get newsletters, but when you have a young child, expecting them to bring it home in one piece... well it's just not going to happen. By the time I get them (if I get them!), it's a week later and all the 'news' isn't relevant anymore.

So quite often I've had to call the school like an out-of-touch mother and just ask. Ask if there's perhaps anything I should know - Is the last day of school this term a Casual Day? When is the Sports Day? What time is school finishing on 'X' Day? All those little bits of information that get missed when you're not physically there to ask it yourself at the end of the school day.

This teacher.. She Blogs.

BLOGS! A blog dedicated to the classroom!

I opened his new 'Communication Book' yesterday to find out when his 'Sharing Day' is. Also to find out what Reader he has for the week. And it was there. This fresh, typed, colourful letter from his new teacher. I've never had a colourful typed letter from school before!

And it had dot points. I *may* have gotten butterflies at the thought that this teacher knew how to use Microsoft Word. Just a little bit.

I knew EVERYTHING. The first day in and I know when Sharing Day is. I know when they have 'Fruit Time'. I even know her DIRECT email address. I read it and called out to my husband with the same amount of excitement when I get an email to say that Lorna Jane is on sale. (and trust me, I get excited!)

I just love her. For thinking of those out-of-touch parents like me, that aren't present at school, but still desperately want to know what our kids are up to.

And suddenly this year looks like it's going to be a great school year.