Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy embarrassed...crying at parent teacher conf

I'm embarrassed. I cried at my son's parent teacher conference. Not an open sob. More of a tear up that was contained. My son's formerly hostile teacher had an about face. I was so completely moved by her apology and the fact that she could now SEE my son...it was overwhelming for me. (Honestly, I don't know what happened. Not sure if she had a talking to by an administrator or if she just woke up and saw the light!)

But I can't get over how embarrassed I feel. Has anyone else been in a similar position?

To bring you up to speed, this is my previous thread. http://giftedissues.davidsongifted.org/BB/ubbthreads.php/topics/154415/1.html

I remember your post. You feel embarrassed? Just imagine how embarrassed the TEACHER must feel. Glad things turned around for your son

I have teared up too, but in frustration. It is embarrassing, but having been in the other seat too (a teacher where a parent has cried, and the student has cried)it happens more times than you would probably imagine. Parents are emotionally invested in their kids, as we all should be, so when things are either going badly or are suddenly going really well it is often times hard to contain the pent up emotions that automatically come with a PTC.

I would say let go of the embarrassment and delight in the fact that the teacher finally gets it. Congratulations!

I have come close to tearing up, like really close, but I have been able to control it. Whether or not the teachers could tell, I have no idea. It's really hard especially when your child is the "problem child" and you don't yet quite know what is wrong or what to do.

It happens to me all the time. I'm glad to hear I'm not alone!
Congratulations on the improvement in your son's situation. That's the important thing!

Emotions are good! Be glad that you care enough about your child and their education to feel so strongly. A lot of parents don't. Good for you!

I suspect that it would mean a lot to the teacher that her apology, which would have taken guts in itself, had such an impact and was so appreciated.

I think we can be very hard on authentic emotion, when really if we were all a little more open with our own and accepting of what others' were experiencing - whether or not it differed from our own experiences - advocating would be that much easier

Congratulations too, on having things turn around.

Hey, I cried at the dentist's office today (lol).

It was in front of my kids' dentist, who we absolutely love, and have had for about five years. This is the lady who managed to get my hyper-anxiety ridden DD to trust enough to sit through fillings. This lady is magic. Anyway, she told us today that she's leaving the office.

So yup, I got all weepy (and hugged her ) I think she was touched.

I think raw emotion can be an important form of communication. If I were the teacher, I would be touched, not offended, at your obvious relief.

I'm glad things are so much clearer for your child's teacher. Likely you didn't realize what a dam of emotion you had bottled back and this finally let it go. Sneaky emotions.

I've not had the fun of embarrassing myself in front of just one person, but a whole courtroom full of strangers during the initial questioning for jury selection.

Fun stuff- running out of a courtroom bawling.

If it makes you feel better I had the same reaction - I had to stare wide eyed at my feet for a while to stop a tear escaping - when a teacher that had not seen my DD as particularly bright admitted after she saw the test scores she had been wrong and now understood why my daughter hadn't leaped at the chance to do more early 2nd grade worksheets . She has done an abrupt about face and is now a full on advocate for my DD.

The relief that having the wall you were forced to bang your head against removed brings is enormous, isn't it?

I don't think embarrassment is called for. I am sure that most teachers feel that a parent's being emotionally invested is far preferable to being checked out.

At one point I had a teacher tell me she would never give up on my kid, because she knew I wouldn't.

DeeDee

I would not worry about this at all.

No reason to be embarrassed. It's pretty normal given the situation.

I cry at almost every meeting I have with the school, I managed to keep it together at a recent meeting with the superintendent because it was important to me that she knew I was 100% serious about what I came to talk to her about, but it was really hard.

I hate that I cry, but once I mentioned it to a couple of friends I realized that they all do it too. I get so frustrated that I can't get them to see how important this is, but the fact that I have so many issues from my own childhood related to this issue doesn't help either.

I have a hard time keeping my emotions in check. I always bring my husband for important conferences because of this.

it is sweet, sweet relief to hear this.

this is my first year going to organized parent/teacher conferences and the first one was fine because we had no idea there was a problem, but i've been a mess ever since. doesn't matter if i'm feeling frustration, sadness or BLIND RAGE - it's a four-tissue event.

I feel like such a wimp, but once I start talking the floodgates are open!