Protection is Relative

Frequently I think about my job and how the idea of 'protection' is articulated and expected in societies. A co worker recently remarked after a trip to Africa that child welfare really is a relative concept and what we would consider protection here is not what one would consider child welfare there. It is sometimes hard to draw the line.

Which of course always brings me back to my own children. My protection of them is primal and does not require legislation. We have an optional parent teacher interview next week. Optional is kind of a funny way to characterise a parent teacher meeting. Especially with the grade one teacher at my son's school. Because obviously they are not saying what they need to be saying to the parents at the door as per their inane report card comments. So optional is really teacher slang for MANDATORY.

I first want to say that I have a lot of friends who are teachers (seriously - love you guys & I know that you work hard. Except in July and August...).

But really - my son has been in a grade one class that I just pray he makes it out of with his self esteem intact. And at our 'optional' parent teacher interview I will again be arguing for my son to receive some quality teaching and assessment. He is not special needs, he is a boy who was born in November. Which means that he is one of the youngest kids in his class of 42 (SERIOUSLY!!!).

At issue are his 'fine motor' skills. Which is a surprise to me as they never mentioned any issues during any of my weekly volunteer time in the class. Or everyday when I pick him up from school. Which brings me back to quality of teaching and communication. Trust that I will be bringing flow charts, cue cards and a pointer to make my self clear to these people.

And I need to make it work as I have two more children coming through this mega project classroom and I am not moving.

Protection is relative.