Breakdown at teacher conference | ADHD Information

Well, I read this post, and my initial thought was to tell you that you are not alone, that I taught school, and you would be surprised how many mothers cry in meetings.  But, as these posts show, I don't need to tell you that.  We teachers sometimes cried about our own children, when we gathered to talk about the difficulties our children were having in school or with a teacher.  Crying is a normal human reaction.   It shows you care about your child.  I had a similar experience during the summer with my son's kindercare teacher. (sigh) I think I just needed to vent a little. It was a hard week and I had a guest living in our house. I was trying so hard to keep the lid tight and then the silliest thing took me over the edge. I decided to talk with his teacher to see if maybe she could ask him about how he was feeling about everything .. instead I ended up crying and babbling about the silly things he was doing that got under my skin. I'm sure she thought .. wow, you're crying over that?? But she didn't. She totally understood. She's a mother too. lol

Stacey,

Yep,I've been there ..It was last year when my daughter was in 2nd grade,her teacher started discussing with me the different options of intervention(with the 2 Principals,school counselor and the teacher). Wheh she brought up adhd and Conner Scale..I lost it..but you know what? She did too! She cried right along with me and we cried on each others shoulders. We hugged and I told her how much I appreciate her and I know that my daughter has a problem. It was not only affecting home life,but now it was at school. (inability to focus,bullying,excessive talking and forgetting her homework..etc).

It was a shocker,that day at the conference..During intervention,the teacher and I cried again and the Principal clung onto me too.

I wish I could eat lunch with both of my daughters(I also have a 12 year old) and be active again in their School,but with my 21 Month old twin boys',it's hard. I miss being an active part! My Mom has watched them a few times,but I wish it was more.

Hang in there and we'll support each other!

 

Hi, you're not alone!  I've cried in front of teachers a couple of times in the past few years, too.  I can laugh about it now, but I was mortified at the time!   Stay strong!  I'm sure it's harder on you than your son!

Hi,  It happen to me to one time I was at a P.E.T meeting and another time I was at a meeting at the middle school and I started crying, there was a table full of teachers not to mention other table with parents at them talking to their teachers. My daughter, myself and another teacher were crying. So don't feel bad, you are not alone. I think I will probably cry again I have to fight for testing for my 8 y.o son.

I tto, have cried! Your not alone. It jsut means you have a heart and are a caring person who want's the best for their child. Hang in there!

And watch soap operas right. Just another little quip to make you smile. A couple of years ago when it came time for all three of my children(all adhd) to go to school full time my daughter lovingly asked," momma what are you going to do all day while we are gone to school and you here all alone?" I jokingly said I was going to sit on the couch all day in my p.j.'s and eat bon bons and watch soap operas(which I hate). Well ---the teacher had each of the kids introduce themselves on the first day and tell about their families and yep----you guessed it she informed everybody that mom was sitting home eating bon bons!   That brought a roar of laughter and man you should have heard the jabbing I took when I came to get the kids. I think for the rest of the year I was asked continually how the bon bons were or for an update on the latest soap opera!!!!! Out of the mouth of babes 

I can't count the number of times I've cried at teacher meetings.  Has to be more than 15.  That doesn't count the number of times I've cried during a phone conference either.  Dealing with adhd is very stressful and watching what our kids go through is heartbreaking at times.  I'd be very happy to have you as my son's teacher, permanent or sub.  Anybody who doesn't understand your reaction is heartless and who needs them?

Look at it this way, surgeons don't operate on their family members, it's too upsetting.  Police may not get sick at the sight of an anonymous body, but a friend or family member is a different thing.  

Thanks guys.....ya'll are making me feel so much better!!  Gotta love this message board!

Stacey

This has been the first teacher who really cared about our sons needs. The rest called us worry warts. I just wish the kids got programs to fix the ld's.

Hi Nammomma! 

Your post made me laugh......I too have just started subbing at my son's school.  I have only done it once for my younger son's PK class but I'm sure once word spreads that I broke down at the conference none of those uppergrade teachers will be calling me!!   Oh well, I'd rather sit on the couch and eat bon bons anyway......just kidding!

Hi StaceyAnn,

Just to let you know you are not alone I did the same thing two days ago with my daughter's teacher and felt the same way. The bad part was that I have an ap in at that school for subbing. Bet she never calls on me!! Oh well I guess joemom probably sized it up best with what she said.

We were very lucky to have team teachers, as well as a school principle who's own son is ADHD at our first meeting in first grade.  Both teachers agreed that there was a problem and asked the principle to sit in during class and tell them what he thought.  He saw it, and grabbed his book that he used with his son.  He made copies of interventions for us (all of which we had already been using without realizing it.)  Both DH and I cried at that meeting, and you could see tears in the principles eyes because he's been there!  It's really cool for DS to have such a school principle, and DS adores him! See staceyann, you're sure not  alone! susieb38976.5190509259Staceyann, you are *totally* not alone! We have two parent/teacher meetings a year usually, and I always cry at the first one! This year, however, I had my first meeting with the teacher during the first full week of school, (the school psychologist was there too) and I didn't cry at this one! Maybe because, for the first time, I felt like I was being more 'proactive' than 'reactive'. (I asked for the meeting, rather than waiting for the standard one in november.Darn it, if this post didn't make me think of the time I cried in front of my son's Kindegarten teacher. That was 3 years ago and I just got all teary-eyed again. She was telling me about how he was poking kids with a push pin. My eyes got red and she quickly took my arm to comfort me. I think they have seen it many times, especially when a good mom is trying really hard to do the right thing. They know that.I never realized how many moms cry at conferences.....I thought I was the only one! Yes, its embarassing, but I too have decided its just the way I am & at least it shows I care. Stacyann--your post reminded me of the first time I cried at a conference.  It was with my son's 1st grade teacher and he hadn't been dx yet.  I started balling and she just took me in her arms and cried with me.  She said we'd figure all this out and we'll work together to do so.  Since then I've shed a few more tears with a couple of his other teachers and I always want to kick myself but I just couldn't help it.  Our kids are our hearts...I just don't worry about showing my emotions anymore.  Hang in there...we've all been there a time or two!

I'm so embarrased.....I just had a parent/teacher conference with my son's 3rd grade teachers and I started crying!  I was fine for most of the conference until they started talking about how tired he was in class.  I told them how my son tells me that sometimes he wakes up at 3:00 a.m. and can't sleep and comes out to the living room and lies on the couch until he gets tired.  Everytime I think of him lying out there in the dark it makes me sad for him and I couldn't hold back the tears at the conference.  I feel like such a fool!  We just started him on sleep meds and they help but I'm having such a hard time giving him a pill in the morning and a pill at night.  I hate seeing his little face and tired eyes at the end of the school day when his meds have worn off.  His teachers were very sweet but I'm sure they think I'm a nut case!  It's been a rough start to the school year and I guess it's taking it's toll on me!!

Thanks for letting me vent!  Stacey

No the teachers don't think you are a nut case...I am sure they think this is a mother who only wants the best for her child.  Don't worry at all about the tears you are only human and so are the teachers.  Heck ,I was a teacher and I probaby would have cried with you.