The kids are back in school and with school comes the dreaded parent teacher conferences. As a single parent these can be a little tricky. In some cases both parents are fine to meet together, in others it is impossible. Most teachers are willing to work with you if you need to meet at separate times. However, there are some real benefits to being able to meet together with your child’s teacher. This helps everyone to be on the same page when it comes to your child’s schooling. It also provides a united front for your child. If you are both there it shows them that you both care about their success in school.
If your child is struggling with academics or behavior problems at school, which isn’t uncommon following a divorce, it is important for both parents to be aware of the problem and to be able to work together with the teacher to find a solution that will best meet the needs of your child. You can request an extra copy of your child’s report card so that each of you have one and know what areas need to be focused on.
While the teacher doesn’t need to know the details of everything that is going on, keep them in the loop if any big changes are happening in the child’s life, a remarriage, etc. as it may affect the way your child is handling things in the classroom. Parent teacher conferences are a great time to communicate with both your ex and the teacher about what the teacher’s expectations are as far as homework and behavior at school goes. Most teachers are very understanding of children in these kinds of situations. It is likely there are several others in the class who are going through similar things.
Don’t feel guilty if you and your ex can’t meet together. This doesn’t always work for everyone and most teachers are more than willing to set up different times for you. Just do what works for you in your situation.