Rule #1 - be active. Volunteer in the class - meet the teacher and the kids - relish this time your dotter will WANT you around her friends (middle school is just around the corner).

Rule #2 - Working parents can volunteer and be active in school activities too. IF the meetings and committees are at times you can’t attend, ask that they be scheduled to accomodate the working parent. Facts are facts - more mothers than not do in fact work outside the home. The typical mentality that we women folk will handle all school activities is bogus. Dads can do it too.

When in doubt - buddy up to school administrators. Funny thing is - they’re working moms too.

You don’t have to be Room Mom and up at the school 24/7 - but take a day or two in the year to be in the class - get to know the kids - they’re adorable and you’ll be better able to relate to the stories your dotter tells.

ON the day my DD started Kindergarden, my mom gave me that advice saying that I was not entering the phase where my DD would be introducing me to her friends rather than the other way around. Major turning point in our lives!

But there is NO WAY your child is going to kindergarden. That would make ME older now, too! WAH!!!

I always remember trying to strike a balance between indulging my nerdy side and worrying about being popular - it’s something most teens can’t avoid I think. I had a few good teachers along the way, none particularly outstanding. There were a few with stellar reputations, but I never had them. I still did well. I still stayed happy. And you know what, I think that was because of my parents. They instilled the importance of learning *and* being social. They were always involved in my life, not always in agreement with everything, but always involved and supportive.

I remember being in Grade 10 espousing the benefits of socialism to my father over the dinner table. He would be in clear disagreement with me (on most but not all fronts of that argument), we would yell and shout, but he never diminished my right to my own view of things. Building two-way respect like that is absolutely invaluable in my opinion.

To me they made all the difference. My wife’s parents on the other hand weren’t nearly as supportive of her (and consequently still don’t get all the respect that *they think* they deserve from her). I think she relied on the teachers for support and encouragement a lot more than I did. People shouldn’t underestimate (as I know you don’t) the importance of parenting throughout your child’s life.

Very nice and thought provoking post Kate.