A few years ago, when my daughter had just started kindergarten, I was at home watching a PBS documentary about art one afternoon when she glanced up from her Legos, Dora dolls or whatever she was into at the time and said, "Oh, look daddy, that painting on TV is a Jackson Pollock."
After coaxing my eyebrows down from the ceiling, I asked my five-year-old how she managed to identify the painting's artist, as the narrator had yet to mention Pollock's name.
"We learned about it in school."
My brows were on the ceiling again.
I - by contrast - first could identify a Jackson Pollock when I was in university, and only then because I was trying to impress this cute and brainy blonde girl who was into art.
I remember going to the teacher/parent night a few days later at Mamquam Elementary and her teacher asking me if I had any problems or concerns regarding my daughter's education.
"She knows who Jackson Pollock is!!" I blurted out giddily.
No, no, I had absolutely no problems or concerns, thank you very much - please carry on.
My girl still attends Mamquam, and I still have no problems or concerns, especially when she continues to astound me with what she's learning and actually comprehending at such a young age.
"Did you know at one time the whole universe could fit on the head of a pin?" she asked me while moulding a Play-doh cookie for me to pretend to eat.
I tell you, my eyebrows do get a workout these days.
Sure, I do take some genetic and parental credit for her curiosity and keen mind - and her encyclopedic knowledge of super hero origin stories - but without good, dedicated teachers she just wouldn't get the education she deserves.
That's why this teachers' strike concerns me.
I worry that in the battle for better wages and conditions, my child will miss out.
We're not as connected with her teacher as in years past, as there've been no marks, comments or real teacher/parent nights.
I've chatted with her teacher in the schoolyard, and have no doubts about the education she's receiving. I'm sure there are no problems, but you tend to notice these missing things when you're involved with your kid.
I'd be freaking out if my child were graduating and trying to get into a good university, I think.
But I do appreciate that the teachers have disrupted classes as little as possible with the latest action, and - as a parent - have to admit my support is fully behind them, though.
I wouldn't be a happy camper with net zero wage increases and legislated/forced contracts at my job, either - not to mention increasing class sizes, lack of funding, etc.
Hey, I know times are tough, and everyone has taken a financial hit these past few years, so it's hard to talk salary increases when the economy is hurting and everyone is making sacrifices.
But I don't want to sacrifice the education of my child.
Teachers are tasked with helping to shape the thoughts and perceptions of the next generation. Our kids.
That sounds corny, but it is absolute truth.
I'd like to see the government and teachers find a way to reconcile their seemingly vast differences - without draconian legislation - before the situation escalates further and the kids actually do suffer.
So I'm crossing my fingers - keeping my eyebrows in shape - and hoping for the best.
