{{Emily and all the teachers}} Sorry if I was too blunt. I have so much respect for teachers. I only have to deal with 2 students. You have the toughest most under appreciated job in the world. If I was in charge the teachers would have received 20 billion in bonuses, not top management of evil banks.

I'd love to have you here sj, selfishly, but that's not something I'd do to a friend. Too many hooples.

I should have put warm in ass caps. I think FL, GA, and AZ all get way too hot in the summer.

I want it all. Not too hot and not too cold.

I'm sitting in the doctor's office, hoping he can squeeze me in before 10:30 so I don't end up missing all of my afternoon classes. Argh. It might not even be anything, but if it is an ear infection, I don't want to give it time to damage my hearing (and I've probably already waited longer than I should have).

Anyway, annoying.

Laura, you don't have to apologize. I totally understand why a perent would feel that way, but fwiw, please know that few teachers intend to make the parents feel badly. We don't blame you any more than you blame us. Generally, at least.

I could use a bonus. Forget a billion; I'm not greedy. $50k would take care of all my various debts (school, car, credit cards). That would do nicely.

Then you want to come live by me! It's Arizona, it gets warm, but it's in the mountains so not as hot as Phoenix. We get snow, but rarely problematic snow, unless you live down a dirt road like me. It gets cold at night, but swings back warm during the daytime.

It's kinda awesome.

I don't have parent-teacher conferences. I wish I did. I've never met most of my students' parents. Most of them don't know or care where their kids are during afterschool hours.

(((Kristin))) Feel better.

The doctor warned me that my immune system got bitchslapped by the pneumonia last year and that I'd catch everythig this year. He wasn't kidding. Great time to be working in a school, aka biggest germ factory in the world. I'm ready to be healthy now. My body is so fired.

Also, Suzi, that's wonderful news! I bet the recognition of his ADHD is helping, too. Go CJ! It's amazing what a difference that made for me.

Sorry if I was too blunt.

No, not at all! You answered exactly the question I was asking, and that's why I asked it. As I say, I do try to let parents know that I don't blame them and I know that there's only so much they can do. Besides, I only have to deal with the kids' behavior one, maybe two hours per day for one, maybe two years -- you have them ALL THE TIME. And they're ALWAYS your responsibility (a terrifying notion).

Anyway, you weren't too blunt, and your answer was exactly what I was suspecting.

I love parent-teacher conferences, but admit to feeling a bit defensive in them. However, I wand to make it clear that that is TOTALLY my issue, and not the way the teacher has ever put things. Ever.

Especially at the pre-school level, it has helped us look at behaviors of Emeline's that need to be changed/altered/kept an eye on so that later on, she can be one of the better students. My feeling is, 2/3 of the people responsible for my child's education live in my house. How unfair is it to lay 100% of the blame on 33% of the equation? (Like the math metaphor? I'm growing as a person.)

As teachers, do you guys find that it's usually the parents you don't *need* to see that show up and the parents who you really do need to communicate don't bother? It's one thing that frustrates my sister to no end during her conference times.