A call I have never received:
"Mr. [Dr.? Mrs?] Ehrman? Yes. I just wanted to tell you what a PLEASURE it is to have your son/daughter in my class. His/her middos and derech eretz are something to behold. And so conscientious!!".
Never. I have 6 children, the oldest of whom is 23. I HAVE received phone calls telling me what is WRONG with my children, that they were suspended etc. [My favorite was one I received about 9 years ago from one of my son's teachers telling me how I didn't know how to be a father. Maybe he was right. But since he never met me and had no idea what my house was like it was quite presumptuous for him to lecture me. I would've argued but he was like a martial arts guy so I didn't mess....]
Not that I don't need to hear about the problems. But why do I ONLY hear about the problems?
This is a disease of the human race that we place such a heavy emphasis on what is wrong in our lives and forget about how many things are RIGHT. We speak up to complain but all too rarely to compliment.
For the record - I was a LOUSY student in my younger years and had little interest in school [other than gym, recess, lunch and when it was coed - a couple of the future rebbetzins. Not knowing at the time that none of them would ever become MY rebbetzin.... Their luck!] Yet, I turned into a more serious student [so much so that as I push 50 I still call myself a "student"] - despite my limited intelligence and scholastic abilities. So there is hope.
