What exactly is the point of the parent form? I think most parents would probably write stellar things about their child regardless of ability.
I think that they’re trying to get a feel for who you think your child is and what you want for him/her. For example, I have a kid who has always been quiet. Not shy, mind you, simply quiet. No great need to be the center of attention or be recognized for achievements. I wrote that I wanted him to be in an environment where he would be appreciated for being that person, for being a good observer and an astute listener. We liked that he wasn’t a self-promoter. I said that I wanted him to develop a greater awareness of when he could make a contribution and to do that, but not to have to feel like he had to “pile on” or push himself forward simply to get participation marks as this didn’t really seem consistent with who he was. The school that he attended, and which gave him a small merit scholarship, was one that saw a place for a kid like that in its community. Another, where he had felt that “everything was about competing” rejected him.
I’m guessing that all the schools saw the same in him in interviews as well, so it probably helped that I, as a parent, didn’t have a vastly different idea of who my kid was than what they saw and what the other information in the file reflected. I would expect that such a disparity might have flagged me as “that parent” in waiting, and I don’t think most BS are too excited about taking that on.
I suspect that everyone writes stellar things because honestly, everyone’s kid is stellar in some way, just not in the same way. That’s what they’re looking for…
I read somewhere here that the parent narratives also help schools see if the parent’s “voice” is present in the applicant’s essays. I’ve also read that the parent narratives help schools get a better sense of whether the parents are going to be troublesome/meddling if the applicant attends the school; ditto for the parent interview.
I read these explanations after I had submitted my own narratives for my kid’s applications and I approached them much as @gardenstategal .
I think the Parent Form helps in a few important ways. It gives the school an insight into your child, but also into you as parents. Schools, especially smaller ones, know they are admitting a whole family. It can also provide a forum to bring up something that might be a major influence in your child’s life that he or she wouldn’t bring up themselves. In my son’s case, for example, he had a nasty bought of cancer when he was younger, but refused to talk about it. We had the chance to say how it impacted his personality. Lastly, my advice on parent statements is NOT to wax rhapsodic (90% of all statements), but to be facts based. These are a couple of my child’s strongest characteristics/interests and a couple of examples that demonstrate them “in action” or shaped them in some way. A more biographical tone is better. I also think it’s wise to say why you think the School would be a good match and what you would hope for in the marriage (benefits to BOTH sides). Lastly, even though this is a long post, I would keep the parent statement short. Facts, candor and authenticity win the day.