Ways Divorcing Parents Can Make Teacher Conferences Easier

Tips on How to Make Teacher Conferences Easier

One of the best ways to stay connected to your children’s well-being is to attend parent/teacher conferences. Teachers see first-hand how your child behaves during classes and with other students. However, attending teacher conferences may be difficult with both divorced spouses in attendance. Here is some advice to reduce the stress and fighting and keep the focus on your child’s future.

“It’s smart to tell the teacher if you and your spouse are going through a divorce. It may affect your child’s performance and emotional health at school,” says Brian James, a divorce mediator with C.E.L. & Associates. If it’s possible to attend parent/teacher conferences together without fighting, it’s truly in the best interest of your child. Brian James says, “This allows the parents to act as a team. They can ask questions, review information, and together get a more accurate picture of what is happening and what needs their child may have regarding school. If only one parent attends, the other one may miss hearing/sharing critical information about their child that may make a real difference.”

Be honest with yourself if it’s possible to attend together for your child’s parent/teacher conference. If you and your ex-spouse are bickering, it could make the teacher very uneasy. This can serve as a distraction that makes it difficult to discuss needed issues. You may miss some key information that truly needs to be addressed, whether its study habits, performance, or behavioral issues.

4 Easy Tips to Make Teacher Conferences Easier:

• Check to ensure that both parents get notified of upcoming parent/teacher conference times.
• If there are problems between the two parents, both should schedule their own time with the teacher. If one parent attends, the other may be left out on key information. That way both parents get time to meet with the teacher and learn relevant information about their child.
• In the case that only one parent can attend parent/teacher conference, ask them to take notes. That way you can share any important information you learn with the other parent who could not attend.
• Consider scheduling a phone conference time if you can’t meet in person with the teacher. That way you still get important time to address your child’s progress. Most teachers are happy to do this if you ask for it.

Make teacher conferences easier by following the above tips.

Brian James shares, “Even if you dislike your ex-spouse, for the sake of your children, you still need to co-parent and make decisions regarding school and their education. Working as a team helps to give your child the best chance of success in school and makes your child feel supported.”

If you are a divorced parent in need professional help to resolve parenting issues with the children, please contact divorce mediator Brian James. His divorce and family mediation firm has offices conveniently located all across the Chicago area and in southeastern Wisconsin. Put the power of divorce mediation to work for you today by contacting Brian James at CEL and Associates at (312) 524-5829 by find out more by visiting them online at www.yourdivorce.org.

Brian James is an experienced divorce and family mediator with offices throughout Chicagoland and Southeastern Wisconsin. He runs a mediation practice, C.E.L. and Associates where his approach to mediation is client driven.