Usually, kid's lives are pretty far removed from their parents jobs. But what about that rare, wonderful case where kids and their parents spend seven hours in the same type of building? Growing up with a parent who was a teacher was definitely a unique experience, but the inside scoop it gave me as a student is priceless.
1. Don’t mess with teachers--they WILL trash talk you with all of their friends.
I don’t think I could even begin to count the times I’ve overheard my mom discussing students with her coworkers. And it’s not usually in a positive, “Oh they’re such a nice kid!” way. It’s usually “These kids are in high school and still don’t have any grammar” followed by a lot of laughing. The voice in the back of my head telling me that my name could potentially be the subject of a similar conversation among my teachers is typically the reason I proofread things one (or five) extra times before turning it in.
2. Nothing that you do in school is private. NOTHING.
Dating, playing hooky, prom, sports games, and more-- I knew nothing I did in the high school where my mom taught would remain a secret for long. Magically, everyone knew who I was going to school dances with, how I got decked in the powderpuff football game, even when I tripped up the stairs in the middle of the school day. When one teacher finds out a tidbit about a student, EVERYONE will hear about it.
3. If you ever wind up in the school your parent teaches in, you’re already close with every teacher you have.
You know the drill-- you walk into class on the first day, ready to make a name for yourself, and the moment your teacher’s eyes land on you, you get “Oh, you’re so-and-so’s kid!” It’s a conflicting moment, because while it’s cool to have an "in" without doing anything to deserve it, you can feel your classmates shooting daggers.
4. There’s always a *little* bit of added pressure to do well in school when you’re a teacher’s kid.
Growing up, I always tended to hold myself to a higher standard in school because I saw my parents in every teacher I had. The last thing I wanted to do was let anyone down, and having overlap between two of the biggest role models in my life doubled the pressure I felt to do well. In the long run, it benefited me: it was the kick in the butt I needed to reach my full potential in school.
5. It’s unfortunate that not every job has a Christmas, spring, and summer vacation.
Planning vacations as a kid was always pretty easy, since one of my parents was automatically off from work the same times I was off from school. Once I got older and realized that teaching is just about the only job with this luxury, it was a rude awakening.
6. Teachers work way harder than they’re given credit for.
To anyone who thinks teaching is easy-- you are so, so wrong. The insane amount of tedious grading that I have first hand witnessed my mom complete puts me into a state of shock. It’s not just simple right or wrong corrections either-- its looking at how the student did the work and processed the question, and how much of their answer is right, never mind the emotional aspect of wanting to see a student do well. Sure, teachers may get summers off, but it’s only logical when you take into account the long hours and never ending stream of support they give to their students for the duration of the academic year.
7. Teachers can be your biggest supporters.
Between all of the ups and downs of growing up as a teacher's kid, I wouldn't trade having such a hard working built-in role model for anything. And in case you were wondering--no, just because my mom is a teacher does not mean I will be too. (Famous last words, right?)
