Dad, you’ve been shown up by a school bus driver, who seems to care more about your kids than you do.
The bus driver is a man named Gary, who doesn’t have kids of his own, but who is having a powerful impact on the 75 youngsters on his school bus.
Recently Gary showed up at a PTA meeting because he was concerned about “his” kids-those children on his bus. He doesn’t have children himself, and he wasn’t required to be there, but he still wanted to see what was being decided about their education. When he walked into the meeting, he was shocked to find that he and the school principal were the only males present.
He must have been wondering, “Where have all the fathers gone?” Working late? out of town on business? watching TV? I know I’m scratching my head.
PTA meetings certainly aren’t the only way that fathers can get involved, but I have a feeling too many of us are leaving it to our wives or, even worse, the school systems. Not all school systems are bad, but even in a good one, we need to be more aware of the education our kids are receiving.
Here are a few ways you can get more involved:
First, develop good relationships with your child’s educators. Don’t forget coaches, counselors, youth pastors and other people in authority. Ideally, you should be able to call them whenever you have a concern or question, or simply to ask how your child is doing.
Also, support your child’s teachers at home by enforcing their deadlines and homework instructions. Your child will be more cooperative and respectful if he knows you support his teacher.
Finally, think of yourself and your wife as your child’s primary educators. A child’s reading and study habits are usually greatly affected by the importance that his parents place on learning. Your child may not respond to desks and a chalkboard in the basement, but you can at least ask some pointed questions: “What are you covering in History this week?” Or, “Would you like me to proofread that English paper for you?”
Become involved in whatever way you can. And yes, if you can show up at PTA meetings, that would be great, too. You might see my friend Gary there.
