Of all the milestones your child will experience when they are young, none will be more memorable than starting kindergarten. It’s an exciting but often thrilling time – it’s their first foray into the “job” they’ll be doing for the next 13 years, and there’s absolutely everything to learn. If you and your child are lucky, they will be assigned a teacher who is in tune with them and understands how to best motivate them and communicate with you. Sadly, that’s not the case for TikTok user @punkspaceprincess (great name), who goes by “PewPew” on the app, who posted a video seeking advice on how best to deal with her son’s “picky” teacher.
PewPew began by highlighting the fact that things were not going well for teachers two months into school. From assigning eight pages of homework over the holiday weekend (which turned out to be optional) to regularly taking notes at home and complaining about typical 5-year-old behaviors like fidgeting, PewPew felt the teacher’s expectations were too high and her methods were terrible .
The latest note comes in the form of the teacher’s text, accompanied by a picture of three colored pages – one neat as a pin, the other two scrawled – reading “We have to work on this! Here are two of his A try and a comparison with other students in our class. [Sidebar: as someone who has raised two children through kindergarten, I absolutely refuse to believe that very neat picture is an example of a typical kindergartener’s coloring ability.]
PewPew disputed the message. First, she admitted that her son hated coloring: He loved architecture and was on top academically, but coloring was neither his strong suit nor his interest.
“As an artist,” she said, “it bothers me that he can’t color within the lines, but he absolutely hates coloring, and he’s 5 years old and we’re in the second month of the school year.”
Even so, she understood that he couldn’t avoid the task just because he didn’t like it: there are a lot of things we don’t like that we have to do anyway. But she doesn’t like comparing her son to other children Do Love it and is exemplary in coloring.
“He’s coloring,” she asserted. “Leaving him to color alone was like pulling teeth.”
But she thinks the main problem in the teacher’s communication is that she has to read between the lines. PewPew explains that she lives in southeast Texas, where “many people consider corporal punishment to be the last form of strict discipline.”
In other words, she felt she was being pressured by teachers to spank her son at home. Furthermore, corporal punishment in schools is actually legal in 17 states and practiced in 12 states, including Texas.
“Well, my son and I have escaped abuse and domestic violence,” she said. “I gained custody of his father due to domestic violence. Physical punishment of my child was not an option.
While she said explaining this to teachers through statements submitted to schools has improved this particular issue, exact information is still an issue. She asked all viewers to have their say before speaking to the teacher, especially if they think she is biased or unreasonable.
Commenters had mixed reactions. Many thought the teacher’s concerns were valid—in fact, coloring is not frivolous and can be an important indicator of developmental progress—though many in that group felt something was off about her tone and approach.
“This is kindergarten…he should be able to stay in the team,” one comment read. “This is really a developmental milestone. He’s going to be left behind.
“Actually, it was her tone. What a harsh statement,” another commenter said. “For many people, color may not seem important, but fine motor skills are very important.”
Others recognized that Pew Pew’s son needed to practice his coloring skills, even if he didn’t enjoy it, but felt the teacher was being unreasonable.
“I’m a teacher,” one commenter said. “I understand her thought process, but no… it wasn’t right for her. He showed a clear understanding of where to “switch” colors and fill space. He didn’t want to do it, but he did it anyway.
“The kindergarten teacher is here!” said another TikTok user. “She needs to give him time. Coloring is not everyone’s favorite task. I suggest you and her pick a coloring goal for him to do. Maybe keep it in the team. Once he gets the hang of that, he’ll move on to another one. A task like filling all the blanks or choosing a skin color…etc.
Many others, including teachers and occupational therapists, are alarmed by teachers comparing one child’s work to another. Multiple members of the group considered the boy’s coloring skills to be within the normal range from a developmental perspective.
Kindergarten is a time of learning for everyone, not just the children in the classroom but also the parents who are learning how to navigate this new social space.
