Were you your own child’s Morah?

amother

Teal

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 5:19 pm

Where I live there are many teachers who have the opportunity to teach their own child. Some choose to do so, some don't. Some choose to do so for some kids and not for others. It's something to consider and there's no right or wrong answer based on what I see. Only what's right or wrong for you and your dd.

amother

Aquamarine

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 6:50 pm

I have always avoided this because I feel I wouldn't be able to give my all to the rest of the class. Personally I like to separate my home and school life. I also feel boundaries are hard-if your child is the one playing up, what do you do? Are you more hard on your own child-like 'we do good sharing, give Ruti a turn with the car' but you wouldn't do that to the other children. Also if your child is the clingy type and very jealous it's not going to go well.
I've seen people with their child in their class and maybe I've just seen bad examples but I've never seen it go well-from where they are so strict with their child, you feel sorry for the child, or where they focus on only their child but not on any other children.
But it doesn't sound like you have much of a choice. I think you need to go in with your eyes open, what issues could come up and how you will react.

amother

Honeydew

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 7:26 pm

I taught 3 of my own kids in a 4 year old class.

My personality is such that I was able to treat my kids exactly the same as the rest of the students, not being more strict than usual, but also not showing favoritism. I was careful to make charts of everything ( whose turn it was to cross off the weather, whose turn it was to be line leader etc.. so that it was clear that I didnt just choose my kid out of favoritism but rather because it was her turn on the chart.
other years without my kids. I didnt make as many charts.
so for me it worked beautifully in terms of my personality.
I also told my kids to call me Morah Mommy or just Morah in school so they would feel like now I am their morah.
now as for my kids personalities:

child 1 called me Morah Mommy from day 1, was an easy child, sat on the carpet with all the other kids, behaved like any other child, literally did not take up any extra attention.
child 2 tried to call me morah mommy but would slip up now and then and just call me mommy, that was fine. she sometimes needed a bit extra attention, an extra hug, extra reassurance, she liked to sit on the rug in circle time near me. However since the extra attention I gave her did not DETRACT from the other kids at all, it worked out fine.
child 3 was clingy non stop. completely took away my attention from the other kids. Refused to follow rules, was jealous when I would hold hand of other kids. For her sake and mine, I kicked her out of my class after 3 weeks. she was a totally different child in the other class.

My opinion- if your kid is mostly easy, take them! Start off the year with them in your class. give it a few weeks. If it isnt working out transfer to the yiddish class.

amother

Plum

Tue, Mar 03 2020, 11:48 pm

I have had my own child in my playgroup with me the past ten years or thereabouts! I love it best when they are 2 or 3! they get used to sharing Mommy with their friends, it's usually pretty smooth. If you can make your child feel special by discussing it at home about how lucky she is to have you as her morah, then it will make it easier. you can also role-play at home what to do if she wants to sit on your lap but somebody else is sitting there. and other similar scenarios.

I am surprised to see so many people here advising against it, I know how much I love having my child with me, I can really keep my finger on the pulse of her social development etc.

Considering your other options OP, I would definitely choose to have your child in your class!

amother

Wed, Mar 04 2020, 8:05 am

Thank you all for sharing your experiences!! You have all given me some great insight on the matter... I do think with my personality I can manage to treat her with the same expectations as my students, not show favoritism etc... she’s also really good at accepting things after a good shmooze... like I feel like she would be great if I explain to her that in school when I’m the Morah , I have to take care of all the kinderlach and give everyone a chance to sit next to me etc but at home we will have special time just me and her and she’s the only one that gets to come home with me and have that time etc...

I feel it will definitely be challenging but I am grateful to have a heads up to various issues that may come up... as one poster mentioned above- it’s helping me go in with my eyes open !