A Retired Teacher Shares The Number One Parenting Mistake She Saw

We can learn so much from teachers — and some of the lessons take place outside of the classroom. Not only do they impart academic knowledge to our kids, but they also love and care for them in so many other ways. It follows that the greatest teachers can help parents do their job better at home, too.

What are some of the lessons about raising kids that parents can learn from teachers? One retired elementary school teacher dropped by her daughter’s TikTok account, @elenanico22, to share the single biggest thing that she saw parents doing wrong during her career.

“They didn’t enjoy them,” she said simply.

When asked to explain, she went into more depth.

“Kids are fun,” she continued. “You’ve got to enjoy them. They wanted them to be something that — most of us aren’t exactly what other people want us to be — so enjoy the kid you have.”

She turns to her adult daughter.

“I enjoyed you,” she said.

The lesson here is so simple but so important: accept your kids for exactly who they are, and just love and enjoy them. Don’t try to make them into something they’re not. Don’t try to change them. Don’t be disappointed in who they are. Just enjoy them.

Down in the comments, other professionals who work with children weighed in with their thoughts.

“This is so true,” one woman wrote. “I work in childcare and lots of parents literally can’t stand their kids. They get so angry when we close. They can’t wait to drop them off and pick them up at the last minute. It breaks my heart.”

“So true,” wrote a fellow teacher. “As an elementary teacher, sometimes playing Barbie Dream House with my 4 y/o is the last thing I want to do but I always do because I know I’ll be wishing for it someday.”

“I call it the picture frame parent,” said a third. “As long as the kid looks like a perfect kid in the frame on their desk & the kid doesn’t mess up big enough to break that image, it’s all good.”

Parents also responded — some to thank the teacher for her advice, and others to give insight into what the teacher might have seen.

“Because we are overwhelmed with everything,” one mom replied.

“The reality is that parents are so busy working and doing responsibilities that we are so tired,” said another, “We have to force time with them.”

Still, even though it’s a challenge in today’s world, it’s worth remembering and repeating: enjoy your kids, just as they are.

This article was originally published on scarymommy.com.