{"id":8567,"date":"2026-08-05T11:06:04","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T11:06:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=8567"},"modified":"2026-08-05T11:06:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T11:06:04","slug":"you-have-concerns-about-your-kids-school-how-to-handle-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=8567","title":{"rendered":"You have concerns about your kid\u2019s school. How to handle them"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nThis article is one of a three-part series designed to help kids and parents begin the school year smoothly. Monday\u2019s story covered what to do when children <\/em>don\u2019t want to go to school<\/em>, and Tuesday\u2019s story focused on how parents can help kids to make friends.<\/em>\n<\/p>

Read more Nurses chase cyclospora, aided by interviews, fast-food receipts \u2013 and the messy details<\/a><\/p>\n

\n Your kid is headed back to school soon, but you are the one who is nervous. Maybe you think your child spends too much time on screens in class, they didn\u2019t get the teacher you hoped for or they don\u2019t have the accommodations you think they need.\n <\/p>\n

\n I have both experienced these situations as a parent and heard about them repeatedly from parents, students and educators across the country when I have given talks about how to manage kids\u2019 screen time.\n <\/p>\n

\n If you are feeling this way, what should you do?\n <\/p>\n

\n Approaching things in a certain manner will make you more likely to get your concerns addressed, said Dr. Melissa Greenberg, a clinical psychologist and founder of Princeton Psychotherapy Center in New Jersey.\n <\/p>\n

\n Here\u2019s how.\n <\/p>\n

\n Don\u2019t blame the wrong people\n<\/h2>\n

\n Start by considering whether this is a problem specific to your child or a more general policy problem, Greenberg said. That exercise might require \u201ca little thought and investigation,\u201d she noted.\n <\/p>\n

\n We might assume a teacher is aware of a problem or supposed to do things a certain way,but \u201cwe may sometimes be wrong about that,\u201d she said. It\u2019s not fair to get upset with a teacher for doing something they\u2019re required to do.\n <\/p>\n

\n If the problem falls under school policy, \u201cyou might have to go to a school board meeting,\u201d Greenberg said.\n <\/p>\n

\n I recently waited until after 10 p.m. for my chance to speak at a school board meeting about the overuse of screens in schools. The school board members didn\u2019t act, so now I am running for a seat on the board this November.\n <\/p>\n

\n Is this worth the fight?\n<\/h2>\n

\n You may have many concerns about your child\u2019s school, but we have to prioritize what we take up with school officials.\n <\/p>\n

\n One way to decide whether to pursue something is to consider whether it\u2019s a preference or a need, Greenberg said. You may prefer a particular teacher, but it may not be logistically possible for the school to grant your request. Administrators are often balancing requests from lots of parents, placing students based on their abilities or separating students who don\u2019t get along.\n <\/p>\n

\n On the other hand, if your child has an unmet need \u2014 they require disability accommodations, or they\u2019re being bullied \u2014 it\u2019s important to advocate for them.\n <\/p>\n

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Crispin la Valiente\/Moment RF\/Getty Images<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\n What if you don\u2019t think the school responded appropriately in a particular situation, such as if your child was hurt by another kid? Ask yourself whether it\u2019s a pattern and how much risk is involved, Greenberg said.\n <\/p>

Read more Takeaways from Tuesday\u2019s primaries in Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Virginia and Washington<\/a><\/p>\n

\n If your kid is likely to be harmed again, address the situation. If not, you could acknowledge to your child that the school didn\u2019t handle the situation well and you\u2019re sorry the matter is out of your control, then move on.\n <\/p>\n

\n You also can turn it into a life lesson for your child. We live in a world where things aren\u2019t always fair, and sometimes people aren\u2019t honest, she said.\n <\/p>\n

\n You can use sports as an example, Greenberg said. Watching the World Cup, we saw many instances of one player totally convinced they were fouled and another player absolutely certain the opposite was true.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cSometimes things happen very quickly,\u201d she said. \u201cYou will only ever experience something from your own perspective, and we all have to keep that in mind.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n How to get what you want\n<\/h2>\n

\n If you decide to pursue an issue, even if you\u2019re upset, present yourself to the school as a collaborator, not an adversary, Greenberg said. You\u2019re on the same team, trying to help your child get a good education.\n <\/p>\n

\n Whether you\u2019re talking to a teacher, principal or the school board \u2014 and do start with the teacher if that\u2019s where your concern is \u2014 assume officials have good intentions. \u201cIt actually usually is the case that everyone is trying to do their best and that everyone has the interest of the child at heart,\u201d Greenberg said.\n <\/p>\n

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\n If you approach the conversation as a conflict and try to prove someone wrong, \u201ccreating tension or escalating tension is not going to help the situation move forward,\u201d Greenberg noted. \u201cThat just sets up a dynamic that is less likely to get you what you want and what you need.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n What happens when your child tells you one thing and the school says another?\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cKnowing your kid is helpful,\u201d Greenberg said. Is your child reactive and \u201cdoes a touch become a hit or a push?\u201d Or does your child tend to underreport things? If you\u2019re not sure what version of events to believe, make your best guess based on how your child tends to react.\n <\/p>\n

\n Fixing problems in schools requires figuring out who has the power to address them, weighing whether to take up the matter and being diplomatic. Whether you\u2019re successful or not, you will have taught your child important lessons.\n <\/p>\n

\nKara Alaimo is a professor of communication at Fairleigh Dickinson University and advises parents, students and teachers on how to manage screen time. Her book \u201cOver the Influence: Why Social Media Is Toxic for Women and Girls \u2014 And How We Can Take It Back\u201d was published in 2024.\n<\/p>

Read more In the Reflecting Pool fiasco, Trump\u2019s \u2018alternative facts\u2019 again crash into reality<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you are a parent or primary caregiver of a young person, sooner or later you will have a problem with your child\u2019s school. These steps can help you to handle it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8562,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-wellness"],"yoast_head":"\nYou have concerns about your kid\u2019s school. 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