TToT: Spooky Stuff

I have just come off seventeen hours of parent/teacher conferences.  (In person this statement is followed by an audible sigh.)  To say that the American family has changed in the time I have been an educator is an incredible understatement.  Three decades later I am still thankful for parents who allow their kids to learn by doing even if that means making mistakes along the way; for those who don't do for their children what the children are capable of doing for themselves; for parents who teach their children to be respectful of adults who work hard on their behalf; for parents who understand kids can make their own friends, but they can not make their own parents so they themselves need to parent their children rather than striving to be their friend.  I am thankful for parents who provide a safe home free from ridicule and physical or emotional abuse. I appreciate parents who understand that their own youth has passed and they are now called upon to be responsible role models for those who are actually young and learning. I am thankful every time I hear the words thank you, and what can I do to help, and your best is good enough spoken with sincerity; because without these basic qualities, the world is filled with spooky stuff.