From Chicago Sun-Times · · 1m 10s
Teacher Critiques Parent Phone Habits
Teacher says parents' phone use during meetings harms kids' behavior.
In brief
Teacher says parents' phone use during meetings harms kids' behavior. A teacher reports parents texting during school meetings affects children's behavior and suggests phone silence during conferences. Originally reported by Chicago Sun-Times.
Parent Phone Use
A public school teacher shares concerns about parents using phones during school meetings.
“Put down those cellphones and pay attention to your kids”
Texting During Meeting
A mother texted during a school conference with her children arguing at home.
“Abby, the woman texted on her phone throughout the meeting”
Teacher's Advice
The teacher suggests parents silence phones during face-to-face meetings with school staff.
“If you are asking me for permission to inform parents that cellphones must be silenced and out of sight during conferences with you, you have it”
Parent's Response
The teacher recommends telling parents to follow classroom rules during meetings.
“You can frame it as parents following the same rules as students in your space”
Landlord Issue
A landlord discusses rent differences between family and non-family tenants.
“Charles, with his wife and three elementary-school-aged children, rents the house next door to me for about $1,200 a month less than I might charge a nonfamily renter”
Inheritance Concerns
The landlord's younger son claims unfair inheritance due to rent arrangement.
“James thinks I’m being unfair to him and his sister because I’m not charging the maximum rent the house might get”
Landlord's Solution
The landlord suggests deducting $1,200 from the younger son's inheritance share.
“Tell your grasping younger son that every time he brings this up in the future, you’ll deduct $1,200 from his share of the estate”
Family Vacation
Parents ask children to help pay for family vacation expenses.
“My husband and I would like them to help pay for a family vacation because they expect expensive experiences”
Children's Contribution
The advice is to explain budget constraints to children before vacation planning.
“If their expectations will uncomfortably strain your budget, explain that you will need them to chip in”
Dear Abby Column
Abigail Van Buren writes Dear Abby column for over 40 years.
“For nearly four decades, Jeanne Phillips penned this column”
Next Steps
The teacher will enforce phone silence during school conferences.
“The next time I encounter a parent who does it, I will ask the person if he or she would like to suspend the conference”
The main idea
A teacher reports parents texting during school meetings affects children's behavior and suggests phone silence during conferences.
