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Behind Glass
Something happened to me and my daughter on Monday which has lead me to write this blog. I’ve never written or posted anything always believing I didn’t really have a strong enough message or that I could even write that well.
That all changed this week and I firmly believe people, parents and carers should read this blog.
Like a lot of children she takes a weekly swimming lesson at the local leisure center and we go every Monday night to sit spectator side to watch her learn to swim.
It was about 10 minutes
I quickly tried to study the situation ignoring requests from my youngest for crisps. As the scene was unveiling before my eyes I tried hard to work out what could be the problem. In all of 3 years she has loved swimming and her lessons so it felt very odd.
Watching the instructor, then watching my
Quicker than the speed of light I abandoned my handbag, my phone, my coffee, grabbed my youngest and ran to her without a care in the world as to what would become of my possessions.
It
What I should have said at the start is this teacher has a intimidating, slightly cross and rather unfriendly manner. You brush it off, give them the benefit of the doubt, tell yourself this is normal or even acceptable. Over the course of 4 lessons he had managed to bring her down with
His negative demands of her to swim and lack of praise had diluted her spirit and she needed me.
To summarise why I’m writing this is to say to anyone in a position of privilege who teaches or interacts with children go gentle on the young, encourage them and please dear lord smile. If you can’t manage to do this you have to consider whether you deserve that podium. You have the power to dramatically effect a growing character and
As parents and carers we’ve all been in that situation where you didn’t like the comment made to your child by someone, you felt a family member stepped out of line, they overheard something you rather they didn’t or even you’re reading this now thinking ‘yeah Lily’s ballet teacher is miserable with those children’. Speak up, don’t, like me sit and watch it happening right before your eyes and do nothing.
I knew he was slowly going to affect her confidence. I knew something was not right
It’s made me reflect on what I enroll my children on and with who. I think it’s no bad thing to pull a teacher aside to tell them about your shining star and how to get the best from them.
My message is clear, don’t feel there is ever a barrier to you protecting your child and the adult interactions they experience day to day. They need us to speak up for them.
If you didn’t like the tone of voice or even as small
That thick spectator glass between me and him I think gave him the feeling of power and that he could do whatever he liked. Let me tell you Mr swimming teacher you may not have realised but I can read my daughters mind.