My little kindergartener’s mom called today to say she won’t be coming back to me for tutoring. She’s not verbal in the same way The Boy is not verbal, and her mom said she didn’t really know me, and you couldn’t be too careful, when she can’t tell her parents about anything that happens to her.
I get it. Believe me, I do.
But I can’t deny that it hurts, and it makes me sad.
Once, when I was still doing my teacher thing, I was accused by a parent of putting my students in danger of heatstroke by having them march in a parade in 80 degree weather. I’ve been called a lot of things over the span of my career, but that one really, really hurt. That someone would think that I would ever harm one of my students was so wrong, such an unwarranted injustice to me… Needless to say, it stayed with me.
As does this. I looked forward to working with her, because I saw so much of my son in her, and she was a joy, a JOY, to work with. I wish her well, and hope she gets every support she needs to become as independent as she can possibly be. I hope she is able to advocate for herself someday.
Teaching can break your heart sometimes.
Simple. I Just Do. 
I’m so sorry to hear that =(
I understand – I’m a therapist, and oftentimes patients and their families hurl abuses and nonsense at my team and myself, yet, as we are clinicians, we swear to do no harm to them, regardless if they’re aware at all.
I feel you.
It’s just sad all the way around.
Oh hun. So saddened to hear someone would think that. I’m sure there’s no easy way to deliver that new, but do people understand how sensitive we can be? I hate to think of her loss, too. I’m sure you gave her so much.
Well, I certainly tried. It’s hard to be distrusted after spending so much of my life giving to kids, but I’ll live. Like I said, I just hope she finds what she needs.