OK, so (a few comments back) some were sharing mommy stories. I'll indulge: my mom is proud - PROUD - that she never once advocated for me (or my siblings) at school. Her opinion: one has to learn to sink or swim at some point. She thinks my concern for ds' school experience is beyond irrational. While I do appreciate some of this hard knocks approach (I was actually VERY well equipped for college as I had been treading water on my own for years and was hell-bent on out-achieving any stunted expectations I was given), I tend to think that a parent's job IS to advocate for their child (within reason).

But that's just me.