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From tiffin to tantrums: What teachers notice that parents often miss
ETimes | April 19, 2026 11:41 PM CST

There are two very different versions of the same child.


The home version and the school version.

At home, many parents say, “My child is very quiet,” or “My child talks non-stop,” or “My child eats very slowly,” or “My child is very sensitive,” or “My child gets angry very fast.”


At school, teachers are watching the same child in a completely different environment. Twenty-five other children. Noise. Competition. Instructions. Sharing. Waiting. Losing. Winning. Being ignored. Being appreciated. Being compared. Being corrected in front of others. Sitting for long hours. Following rules that are not negotiable.


School is basically a social laboratory. And teachers see patterns parents don’t always see.

Teachers notice who never opens their lunchbox until someone reminds them.

Teachers notice who finishes food in two minutes and is hungry again.

Teachers notice who never shares and who always shares.


Teachers notice who cries only when losing and who cries even when winning because they feel bad for someone else.

Teachers notice who cannot sit still after eating certain foods.

Teachers notice who becomes very quiet after being scolded once.

Teachers notice who tries very hard but never raises their hand.