Bunch Family

Warning: This story is very disturbing

New Jersey dad Stuart Chaifetz was “stunned” to hear that his 10-year-old autistic son Akian was getting in trouble at school. Akian, who’d never exhibited any sort of violent behaviour before, was hitting his teacher and aide and having violent outbursts at school. His school, Horace Mann School, is considered to be one of the best schools in the States and one of those independent schools that parents are dying to get their kids into.

Since this behaviour was so uncharacteristic of the boy, his dad set up a meeting with the teachers and school therapists. A behaviourist even tried to create scenarios that would push Akian to his limits in order to see what would set him off. It didn’t work. So what would cause this peaceful boy to lash out?  Read more...

What the cool parents are reading today:

1. The science of baby fever and the ticking biological clock. It can strike anytime, but it most keenly felt by women in their late 20s. Sound accurate to you?

2. OK parents who are teachers, weigh in: are there parent-teacher wars? Have you known colleagues to quit teaching because of issues with parents?

3. Judging our pals’ parenting styles is real. One theory stipulates that our parenting styles are based on insecurities from our own childhoods, so if a friend judges our decisions, it cuts deep.

4. Did you grow up reading Judy Blume? Of course you did! Did you know she still kicks all kinds of ass? We’d love to talk to her about Katniss and add her to our Monday morning Mad Men discussion. Judy Blume will rule forever.  Read more...

What we’re reading today:

1. Want to get in your kid’s teacher’s good books? Don’t assume they’re “the strict one” and schedule time to meet one-on-one rather than ambush them after school.

2. How one dad learned about autism from his son and a follow-up question from a fan of his memoir.

3. How do you explain sex and babies and all that to kids? Go with the stork explanation or wait to see what their teachers come up with? Check out these teaching aid sex-ed dolls from around the world.

4. Want to ensure your kids eat their lunch at school? Get them involved with the shopping, preparation and packing of the lunch.

5. Beauty and the Beast is a classic that teaches kids how what’s truly important is how beautiful/kind/whatever you are on the inside. But just what is Belle thinking on the inside? Hey Girl!  Read more...

Hint: it’s not a coffee mug

Lesson learned: Teachers like booze.

Teachers are heroes. They work long hours, don’t make tons of money and are tasked with trying to instill knowledge in our strong-minded offspring. They deserve gifts for the holidays more than anyone. So this year, you should definitely buy your kid’s teacher a scented candle. No, wait: bubble bath. Um…a reindeer mug?

We admit, we really had no idea what teachers secretly want from their students. So we went straight to the source: Bunchlanders who are also teachers. On Twitter and Facebook, you guys dished about your desired student presents. The consensus? Teachers want gifts that will help them unwind. Requests for spa treatments were popular, as were gift cards to coffee shops or bookstores (because what overworked teacher doesn’t like to curl up with a bestseller and a latte?). Also, you guys like liquor. Duly noted. A number of you opted out of receiving gifts in favour of your students donating money to their favourite charity. See, teachers really are heroes.  Read more...

Gever Tulley (right)

We all had that one special teacher who was our favourite. Maybe because they taught us the one thing that’s stuck in our head our whole lives, or maybe because we were clearly their favourite too. Here are five teachers who inspire us (well, technically eight).

Gever Tulley

The author of the book 50 Dangerous Things (You Should Let Your Children Do) and TED speaker has always spoken out against our society’s need to overprotect children from imagined dangers. Campers at Tulley’s Tinkering School build, use their imaginations and are challenged to make their own decisions.

Recess Monkey

Recess Monkey are three elementary school teachers from Seattle who started one of the best kindie bands out there. They played at Kidzapalooza in August, and their CD The Final Funktier is a staple of our iTunes player. We want to live on a marshmallow farm with them.  Read more...