Does Your Child Say This: "My Teacher's an Idiot"

Does Your Child Say This?
"My Teacher's an Idiot"

Almost every kid will eventually have a teacher they don’t like, but that’s not an excuse for them to refuse to follow the rules of the classroom. When you side with your

children in this scenario, believe it or not, you are actually undermining your own authority in the process. The bottom line is that it’s a mistake to denigrate authority figures with your children, even if you agree with them. Keep the focus on the matter at hand, and off your child's feelings about their teacher. Read on to see how James Lehman advises you to handle the situation.

“My teacher’s an idiot. I hate her.”

Translation: I don’t like my teacher. Therefore, I don’t have to comply with what she asks me to do.

Ineffective parenting response: “Yeah, she’s really a jerk sometimes. You’ve still got to listen to her, though.”

Effective parenting response: “It doesn’t help to call the teacher names. What can we do to get your work done on time?”

Empowering Parents is a weekly newsletter, online magazine and blog published by Legacy Publishing Company. Our goal is to empower people who parent by providing useful problem-solving techniques to parents and children. The views expressed in the articles on Empowering Parents represent the opinions of the authors and the experts quoted therein. Unfortunately, it’s not possible for us to respond to every question posted after an article on our website. Empowering Parents encourages its readers to participate by weighing in with suggestions and advice. For more information, visit www.empoweringparents.com  

James Lehman is a behavioral therapist and the creator of The Total Transformation Program for parents. He has worked with troubled children and teens for three decades. James holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from Boston University. For more information, visit www.thetotaltransformation.com.