Talking to playgroup teacher - what is normal?

amother

Tue, Oct 19 2010, 10:25 pm

My ds has recently started playgroup after being home with me since birth. I absolutely love the group, especially the teachers there...but I'm used to being a huge part of ds's life. With that background, how long is it "normal" to talk to the playgroup teachers for during pickup? Do most parents not talk to them at all? They're so great about giving me their attention, and it's usually THEM who starts the conversation, not me, telling me one or two things about what they did that day. But it's so strange to me. They teach him all of these songs, but he's only two, and he needs some prompting to sing them back...but they never tell us which songs they teach him. The same goes for the parsha - they do learn some parsha, and I'd love to give him his chance to shine on Shabbos to tell us about it (he's pretty verbal), but I need to be able to prompt him correctly. How am I supposed to know which point in, say, Lech Lecha they focused on?

Do most people shmooze with the teachers when they pick up their kids? If so, for how long? and if not, does nobody care about what their child did in playgroup that day? (Other than major problems or issues, which the teacher will obviously discuss)

Or am I just overly involved in ds's life?

csb

Tue, Oct 19 2010, 10:29 pm

last year when dd was in 2 yo group, I chatted with the teachers briefly during pickup. I really did not like when one woman would dominate the teacher during the entire pickup time, as the rest of us either had to leave or wait until she gave the rest of us a turn, so keep that in mind...you are not the only parent. If there was a larger issue that required time or was more private in nature, I would call the teacher at night. My dd's group sent home a newsletter every so often (cant remember if it was weekly or every few weeks) with some of the songs they learned and concepts that are focusing on in playgroup.

amother

Tue, Oct 19 2010, 10:34 pm

I don't think you are asking for too much. My son is in a playgroup and they send home a newsletter at the end of the week about what the kids learned that week and songs, etc. Not too much to ask for. Ask for a short news letter or something.

amother

Tue, Oct 19 2010, 11:03 pm

Where I worked they gave out weekly news letters with parsha questions and songs. (even for the youngest children) You should ask what songs they learn. Some parents need to talk more and that is fine, some quickly grab they're child and don't speak at all. I would happily give time to each parent that wants as long as they are pleasant and not overly critical.