ABSTRACT
Teaching is a challenging but rewarding career, one that actually makes a difference in people’s lives. But it takes skill, commitment, and courage. Some new teachers who leave find student discipline overwhelming. Others point to a lack of administrative support. Teachers who remain in the classroom discover that, in addition to classroom management skills, they must develop parent management skills if they want to be successful. Without such skills, an adversarial relationship between a teacher and a parent can take its toll. In short, dealing with difficult parents can have a demoralizing effect on the individual teacher and even on the school as a whole, particularly if teachers feel that they have to fend for themselves without administrative support or a comprehensive school policy for working with parents. However, even the best and most reasonable teachers around the country report that a growing number of parents make excuses for their children, refuse to allow them to take any responsibility.
