The latest Carnival of Education is up, over at Lead from the Start.  Click on over there now, and find out what’s going on in your children’s school, from the point of view of teachers and parents alike.  Remember, if you don’t keep up, you forfeit all whining rights.

It’s like voting.  People who don’t vote have no business complaining afterwards, and people who don’t pay attention to what’s going on in our schools have no business complaining about it, ever.

Concerned people get involved.  Period.  “You snooze, you lose” might be a harsh sentiment, but it’s true.

Parents should know what book their child is reading in English class.  Parents should know when there is a big history test coming up.  Parents should know when the cafeteria is serving something their child absolutely despises, and pack a lunch on that day.  How are you supposed to know these things?  You check websites.  You search your kid’s backpack for notices.  You read the paper.  You go to parent/teacher conferences.  You attend PTO meetings.  You ask the kid.

To keep up requires attention and energy, and modern parents are often so busy and exhausted that ‘one more thing’ is too much to deal with.

When it comes to our children, however, nothing is that ‘one more thing.’  Everything is important.  Pay attention to what’s going on in your child’s life now, or the day will come when wild horses can’t drag any information out of them and you’ll lie awake at night wondering where the kid is and why he won’t talk to you.  The answer to that question might be simply that the kid learned early on that you weren’t interested enough in his affairs to drag your ass out of that comfy chair and go to the concert/spelling bee/big game/contest/dance/etc.  Help your child get into the habit of talking to you about things that are important in his life from the start, and maybe you’ll be the parent getting the call from your teen to please come and get you from the party because her date had a couple of beers, instead of the parent getting the call from the hospital – or police station – to please come down and identify the body.

You’re tired, sure.  You’re exhausted; I understand.  You’d give a kidney for five minutes of privacy, peace and quiet, and uninterrupted rest.  A kidney AND 3/4 of your liver.

Blah, blah, blah, get up and go participate in your child’s life, you big whiner.  You had kids.  Take care of them.  They come first.  You don’t.

There is no football game, Nascar race, nap, or social function that is more important than your kid’s Science Fair.  Choose wisely, my friends.

Your kids are more important than anything else in your life, including YOU.  Treat them as the honored privilege that they are.

Remember, these are the people who’ll be choosing your nursing home.  Give them a reason to pick a nice one.

Cat’s in the cradle, etc.