I’ve been teaching an 18 month child English one day a week for an hour. They pay me pretty well for this, so I bring a few toys, bubbles, colouring and just talk in English. I’m an English teacher.
The first few weeks were a challenge so I could just see where she was at. I taught her with her mom around because the baby was 1 year 4 months when I started. They hired me because they want the other daughter is having problems with too many languages, so they want this one started early.
That’s fine. The child is great and she understands and I’m making progress with her. Originally it was the mom and she had to watch the two kids while I taught only one child (the mom was so stressed). Finally, the mom said fuck this, the younger gets left with the father while I go out for a break with the older child.
As I walked to the apartment this morning, I saw the mom and waved at her while she smiled widely, knowing she finally had a break. So I get in and what does the father do? Leave me alone with her. At first it was fine, but then she cried and the dad came in and I continued the lesson. The child is young and there is nothing I can do to ease that anxiety. One parent needs to be there. It was so clear throughout the lesson that the child just wanted to chill and relax and I went with it. At the end I said it would be great if you could tell me what she is learning in kindergarten (Kindergarten is a whole other thing here), then I can do extra stuff to reiterate what she learned. All I got was a blank stare from him. I said I would text his wife to ask. Like how can you not know what your kid is learning?
On the other side, they pay quite well and I’d like to get the kid OK with me enough to do a field trip once a month or so in English.
My question is: How do you deal with LVM in your working life?
