I support the sub, but the constant posts shaming parents annoy me

Hello everyone,<br><br>I've been a teacher for 8 years at a Title 1 school and love this sub. I enjoy hearing stories from fellow educators and finding supports when I need help with challenging students or difficult parents.<br><br>I do want to say that I get frustrated with posts that mock and shame parents for asking questions. As a former foster kid, I had few supports and not a lot of help as a child from my caregivers. I remember getting myself to school, finding my own way to doctor's appointments, and figuring out how to make myself some fast food several times a week because I was too young to make myself anything else.<br><br>I share this so that you can understand where I am coming from. I had no help as a kid in many areas, but my mother made sure I not only had a phone, she taught me who to call when I needed help and supported me accessing those resources on my own. When I was in 6th grade, she taught me how to write a short, (one page or less), email to my teachers. I learned to clearly state my question, and to be polite and courteous. I was allowed to use my phone/laptop during lunch, and before and after school to call/email my teachers. Looking back on it as an adult, I realize she didn't know what all I was going to be dealing with, so she set me up with the skills and tools I needed to succeed and be able to figure it out myself. <br><br>This is the problem with a lot of the posts I see lately. Parents are using the wrong format in the wrong time, and the wrong people are seeing their questions. Just like students, parents don't always know the right ways to ask for help. A lot of times, they have reached out to administrators, and they are told to go to the teacher. Many parents work (like mine did), and don't have the ability to come to the school in person. They are trying to advocate for their child in the way they know how to get the information they need.<br><br>The parents asking the questions are trying. They are usually trying their hardest and don't know the correct ways to express what they are needing. I think we should do a better job of meeting parents where they are, instead of mocking them and telling them they are doing it the "wrong" way. We should be happy parents are trying, and help guide them by teaching them how to ask us questions in a professional way, and directing them to the correct resources. <br><br>We are educators for a reason, we should be doing a better job of educating parents on the right way to ask questions and help their kids. We are professionals, it's our job. <br><br>Many parents are capable, love their kids, and want the best for them. We need to do a better job supporting all parents, and all ways of asking questions because parents are not the enemy. <br><br>This is just my opinion, but we need to work on treating parents like humans, even the "helicopter" parents who may be trying too hard and asking too many questions.