ONE thing that is really getting my goat at the moment is the reaction to the teachers' strike.

Bolton was one of the first places where teachers walked out in protest at pay and conditions.

And last week, other parts of the country started following their lead.

I'm not saying teachers are right or wrong to make the decision to walk out for a day.

But I really wish parents would stop comparing them to baby-sitters.

No offence intended to baby-sitters, but this is far from what teachers do.

Yes, not being able to send your children to school for a day must have been infuriating for working mums and dads – but the classroom isn't just free child care.

It's a place where your little ones go to learn.

So, whether or not you agree with the teachers' strike, at the very least treat them with the respect they deserve and not just as people who look after your kids for the day while you go out to work.