The following is an excerpt from an article I found in the Better Homes and Gardens September 2013 magazine. I'll be sharing other parts of the article over the next couple of weeks.
Have you found yourself in this scenario? Your son or daughter has always loved his or her teachers, but this year they are complaining that one teacher is mean and unfair.
The Strategy you should consider: You're reaching for the phone to dial the principal's or counselor's office, aren't you? Wait. Once you're sure that there isn't something egregious going on (the teacher is humiliating students, for example), talk to your son or daughter about exactly what bugs him or her. "She's mean" is general. "The teacher doesn't give clear directions" or "She gives too many pop quizzes" are details you can work with to brainstorm ways to improve the situation. Maybe your son or daughter can raise his or her hand and ask more questions rather than sitting and stewing. Or he or she could do a little extra prep to be ready for a pop quiz.
How to deal: It's hard to say no when your child is asking (or begging) you to work your magic. But part of being successful in the working world is learning how to cope with all kinds of people, and often that means figuring out how to tweak your behavior to function more smoothly in certain situations.
