Dear parents at school,
Do you remember what it felt like when your child first started school and you knew nobody? Perhaps that didn’t bother you, or perhaps you connected with other parents really quickly, or maybe you knew other parents from the local kindergarten and already had a school parents’ friends base.
Not all parents find as easy to connect with others though. Spare a thought for them when they drop off or collect their child and they’re standing alone.
Perhaps they only occasionally drop their child off and find it hard to break into the clique who are there every morning and afternoon doing the drop-off and pickup.
Maybe you’ve pre-judged them because their child’s always in trouble and maybe their child has called your child a ‘fat-arse’ and you think that the parent must have somehow influenced the child saying that.
Maybe you think that because their child is in trouble nearly all the time that they don’t care about this and wouldn’t be worth knowing.
Maybe if you reached out that parent might really like some support and a friendly chat.
Maybe they’re just really shy and would welcome it if you made an effort to say hello to them and engage them in some sort of conversation. After all have one thing in common – your kid goes to the same school.
Maybe because you only rarely see them that you think it’s not worth it, after all they probably don’t have time to join you for a really long chat or a coffee and you just can’t be bothered.
So spare a thought for that mum or dad who’s standing by themselves at the school. They might not be standing alone out of choice.