The Joy of Showing Up: Finding My Place in My Child's Classroom
Discovering the small ways we can stay connected and engaged in our children’s education
The first time I read a book in my child’s classroom, I felt out of place. I think it’s in those early daycare years that we learn to distance ourselves from our child at the door and let the teacher “do their thing.”
And while there’s some necessity for this—our kids are learning not to be so dependent on us, we’re told that long goodbyes or parents being present can disrupt the other children and distract our own, and (most importantly) we have to get to work—by the time my son, Aidyn, got to Kindergarten, I was still holding onto the feeling that my time ended when we got to the door. And then, there were no cameras like there are in daycare, so our bond felt broken for 8 hours out of the day.
Back to that day…
I felt out of place, like I was in the teacher’s space and had no business being there because my place was at work. But as I looked into the sea of smiling faces sitting on the carpet while I read The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen (my fave read-aloud at that time), in all of my very best voices, the only face I could truly see was my son’s. He was smiling back at me with eyes so bright and a grin so big, I was literally melting inside.
In fact, every time I show up at his school and he sees me present and actually doing things there, I feel this way. My heart melts because I know he feels cared for and loved. Like he matters so much to me that I showed up to his class to read a book, host a party, or just drop off snacks.
Watch this moment when Aidyn spotted me at school. You can see how much it meant to him:
In these moments, I’m reminded of how much our presence at school matters to our kids. It’s not just about showing up for the big things but for the little ones too.
And my heart goes out to the parents who want to be there but can’t. I know that’s a difficult reality to contend with.
I think the main thing that holds most parents back from getting involved at the school is just not knowing how—or even that they can get involved. But we have to look into it, dig for information if we have to. Because that connection we maintain with our child’s classroom, with their teacher, and with the school makes such a huge difference in their education. It makes such a difference for them.
Studies show that children with engaged parents are more likely to succeed both academically and emotionally. They feel supported, understood, and more confident in their abilities when they know their parents are actively involved in their education.
And sometimes, we can’t. I get that. Life is demanding, and sometimes our schedules don’t allow for it. But even when we can't be physically present, there are still ways to show our support. Sometimes, all it takes is an email to the teacher asking, “How can I help?” or “Is there anything you need?” It’s these small gestures that keep us connected and show our children that we care.
So, how can we, as parents, get more involved? How can we find small ways to show up for our child at school? How can we engage?
