Just yesterday we told you the case of a mother who has been fined 1,600 euros for explaining, in the WhatsApp group of the class, what a teacher was doing (supposedly) to her son. Following this news we have decided to write the rules of the good use of the WhatsApp groups of the school and the extracurricular ones (Depending on the children you have you can join more than five groups quietly).
1. Don't talk about the teachers
Everything that needs to be discussed about them is better explained face to face, either with other parents, either with the teacher involved or with the management. The written text does not always say what one wants to express, and the recipient does not always understand the message as the sender sends it, so conflicts and misunderstandings are often generated.
Therefore, minimally sensitive matters it is better to speak them in person, in order to clarify in situ any word or phrase that creates confusion.
2. Give only important and related information
And avoid the one that is not. Unless all members agree, avoid spreading jokes, videos or images that are unrelated to the group. Similarly, do not give information that has nothing to do with the group. like "I have a friend who makes very cool t-shirts and sells them very cheaply" or similar. The group has to be practical and concise.
3. Do not answer if you are not going to contribute anything
Often someone asks for a lost item "Let's see if someone has seen a scarf with the Hogwarts shield." Although it may seem rude, it is better not to say anything if you do not know about it. If not, all the members of the group can start with a "I do not", "Me neither", which makes every time you take the phone you have more than 100 messages quietly, and that parents with little time end up not reading the group ignoring information that may be relevant.
4. Don't laugh at other mothers / fathers
Do not talk about other parents of the school. It is rude, disrespectful and risky if we consider that many know each other without having their children go to the same class.
5. You don't create subgroups to talk about someone in the group
Again, not only is it disrespectful, but it is also dangerous. The probability that someone will screw up and say in the large group what they wanted to say in the subgroup is high. If the intention is that there is a good relationship between mothers and fathers, there is nothing worse than to be doing alternative groups in which to spread rumors and accusations.
6. Don't be your child's daily agenda
Of course, at some specific time you can ask about some task or similar, because all children may have to forget something, or have not understood well how to do their homework. But do not make it a routine: it is annoying for the rest of the parents and does not help your child at all.
If every day you have problems with homework, it is logical to talk with the teacher to help you in this regard. If it happens more or less frequently, perhaps the ideal thing is to offer the child various solutions so that it is he who is responsible for it: make sure before leaving the school that you have everything well aimed, ask the landline for a child of the class to call in case you have doubts, etc.
7. Do not add anyone without first consulting
Once you're inside, even the people who would rather not be staying for avoid leaving the mark of your march. To avoid bad rolls, it is better to ask before.
8. Use a smiley to show the intentionality of a message
In the absence of non-verbal communication, it is worth adding some emoticon to show the rest the intentionality of the words. It is not the same to say "My son has come wet from the excursion" with a laughing face, than with an angry face.
Now, don't abuse the emoticons ... if there are many they end up messing up the text and the message.
9. Do not share outside photos
No photo that may compromise the privacy of other people should be shared in these groups.
10. Positivism and desire to help
The objective of the groups has to be, above all, that of help and be positive, because it is nothing more than a way to fly over our children through contact with other parents, in case at any time they need our help. If someone wants to be funny at the expense of others, be ironic and complain, not only will not add, without being subtracted. In this case, it is better not to be part of the group.
It is worth thinking twice what you are going to say, do not write hot (if the mother or father are very upset) and, as I say, always try to add.
Photos | iStock
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