Yesterday as I was preparing for Back to School, I received the following letter from one of my new parents: (names changed, obvs)

Greetings:

Skyward shows that you have my son, Harry Potter in your class, and so, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is James Potter, and I am Harry’s father. I would like to start by saying Thank You for instructing my son. You have a very demanding job that I would imagine at times seems thankless at best; however, to Harry’s Mother, Lily, and myself, you are a Godsend to say the least.

I would just like to say that if his Mother and I can be of ANY assistance to you as you work with our son, Please Do Not Hesitate To Contact Us. Also, if you have any concerns whatsoever, to include anything you might observe to be questionable or/and negative (such as negative interactions with others, “colorful language,” talking back, etc., again, please do not hesitate to call on us. I really want to emphasize that you can feel comfortable with discussing anything with us concerning Harry, without fear of us becoming defensive.

About Harry: Harry has a tendency to be dark in mood, and sarcastic to others to the point of being caustic at best. He has also, while in such moods, been known to be disrespectful to his instructors. Please DO NOT PUT UP WITH THIS!!! If you observe this behavior, contact us so that we can correct him. Your job is hard enough without having to put up with attitude. I don’t want this to sound as if there is nothing positive about our son: quite the contrary! To us, he is very intelligent, caring of others, is well spoken (he has worked hard to overcome a stutter early in life), he is constantly reading everything from Mad Magazine (yes, he gets it – he thrives on adult oriented humor) to large novels, etc. Overall, he is a wonderful Son, and we love him dearly…

Again, Thank You in advance for taking the time to read and consider this long-winded diatribe, and Thank You for working with our son Harry.

Sincerely,

James and Lily Potter

James’s Cell #: xxx-xxx-xxxx 
Lily’s Cell #: xxx-xxx-xxxx 
Lily’s Work #: xxx-xxx-xxxx

Email Address: xxxxx@gmail

Can you believe that? How amazing are these guys? That’s why I chose the noblest pseudonyms to give them. It warmed my heart to read this email. I’m serious when I say that I probably only get MAYBE one of these a year. For every one of these I get 4 neutral emails and 45 critical/angry/stupid emails. This parent is teaching his son that following rules, monitoring behavior and working hard are all important elements in success.

Stuff like this restores my faith in humanity. Be these types of parents, you guys. Not only is it great for the teachers, but it really is what’s best for your kids. These parents are confident enough in their love for their son that they aren’t threatened or defensive when he may make mistakes. NEWSFLASH. They all do, and I am not an idiot – I don’t blame the parents 100%. Have the security and maturity to accept that all kids do stupid things and it isn’t a reflection on YOU. It isn’t a prediction of the way they’ll be forever. And it definitely isn’t something the teacher is making up for fun.

Take it in stride. Lets work together as a team! I want what’s best for little Harry too! I love your kids so much you’d probably be concerned (not in a gross way, obvs, but in a I stay up worrying about them and sometimes cry over them in the car on the way home kind of way). Lets hold your children to a high standard and they will soar – with our help. Thank you, awesome parents everywhere. You’re making the world a better place.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Holdaway