Parents in Jakarta!

Wow! We've sure got some protective parents here in Jakarta, at my school! I thought this would make a good story for my blog:

Yesterday one of my Kindergartners (Kalista) fell down at recess and got a tiny little scratch on her knee (it wasn't even bleeding). She screamed and cried and insisted on a band-aid. So the Recess Duty person got her a bandaid and sent her on her way. Then I heard all about it from my students after recess, but Kalista was just fine. The next day I get a note from her mother written to the P.E. teacher. It said:

Dear Mr. Talijaard,
Kalista can not join P.E. class today, because she hurt her knee yesterday at recess. Thank you for understanding.
Sincerly,
Kalista's Mom

When I read the note, I was shocked and amazed that her mother would be so dramatic. I looked at Kalista and she said, "I can not go to P.E. today." I said, "Ah, yes you can, and yes you will." Then I told all of my kindergartners that today is the one time I'm allowing them to run in my classroom. Kalista joined in the fun of all the kids running around the room. Then I said to her, "If you can run in my room, and at recess, then you can go to P.E. Your leg is fine, and you will not be babied here at school." I couldn't believe it! Ha! Parents these days, what do we do with them!

For all of you who are reading this, don't worry, I did give the note to Mr. Talijaard to decide what to do with it. However, the good thing about working here is that you won't get in trouble for ignoring a note like that from a parent. (Of corse in the states I would have to allow her to miss P.E. no matter how stupid it was!)

I still think that schools need to hire other employees to handle all the parents! That is the worst part of my job! I decided to be a teacher because kids are so much easier to deal with then adults. I end up working and training adults (the parents) more then the kids!