My mother has been working as an elementary special education teacher for 17 years. She is very good at what she does, and I've always loved telling people what she does. Some parts of growing up were very different for me with a teacher as a parent, as opposed to some of my peers.
1. You know all of the tea about the school.
Whether they work in your school, another school in your district, or just in another district altogether, my mom would always come home with stories about some crazy teacher or kid who said this or did that.
2. Not being able to get away with anything at school.
My mom's favorite phrase to use on my sisters and I was, "I have eyes everywhere." We weren't necessarily unruly kids, but if we answered a question in a certain class and there was a supervisor in the class, I would get a text a few hours later from my mom saying "Heard you got a question right in math. Good job!" A bit freaky at times, but it was still funny knowing that she had connections.
3. Summer lessons.
In elementary school, my summer vacation days were full of trips to the local pool, family vacations, and... English workbooks? My mom loved educating us at any opportunity, and looking back, I realize that I don't mind it at all.
4. Hearing your mom say "my kids" but she wasn't talking about you.
"One of my kids said the funniest thing... Oh, not you, Sophia."
5. Always being asked, "Where did (insert name of friend here) go to elementary school?"
This question got increasingly more weird as I went through middle and high school. I eventually had to introduce new friends by saying, "This is so-and-so, I don't know where they went to elementary school."
6. Knowing that I could never be a teacher.
This sounds mean, but it takes something special in you to be a teacher, especially to work in special education. The perseverance and passion that my mom possesses is truly unique, and I know she's impacted so many of her student's lives.
To any parent-teacher — keep doing you. You're doing amazing work!