Comments on: One more, then moving on http://american-family.org/2008/08/25/one-more-then-moving-on/ Thu, 24 May 2012 00:31:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lilian http://american-family.org/2008/08/25/one-more-then-moving-on/comment-page-1/#comment-92241 Lilian Sat, 06 Sep 2008 02:33:17 +0000 http://american-family.org/?p=1384#comment-92241 Great continuing discussion! And this is not directly related to it, but, apart from the other reasons I have to put my kids in a tiny private church school, I really "fear" the public schools because I didn't grow up in this country and I have no idea how things work in school here -- just to read your blogs and from popular culture, movies and stuff. How could I help my son successfully navigate something that I'm completely in the dark about? Now, Jody touched on a very interesting point -- TV. My kids do watch TV, but only PBS, that's all they know. So... when we meet and talk to other people -- the funny thing that it's mostly other adults, the pediatrician, other people who want to please my kids and talk about something that they know -- I'm quick to point out "No, we don't watch SpongeBob/Dora/ Diego, we only watch PBS" (it was funny to see the pediatrician scramble to remember some PBS characters!! ;-). Great continuing discussion!

And this is not directly related to it, but, apart from the other reasons I have to put my kids in a tiny private church school, I really “fear” the public schools because I didn’t grow up in this country and I have no idea how things work in school here — just to read your blogs and from popular culture, movies and stuff.

How could I help my son successfully navigate something that I’m completely in the dark about?

Now, Jody touched on a very interesting point — TV. My kids do watch TV, but only PBS, that’s all they know. So… when we meet and talk to other people — the funny thing that it’s mostly other adults, the pediatrician, other people who want to please my kids and talk about something that they know — I’m quick to point out “No, we don’t watch SpongeBob/Dora/ Diego, we only watch PBS” (it was funny to see the pediatrician scramble to remember some PBS characters!! ;-) .

]]> By: Rebecca http://american-family.org/2008/08/25/one-more-then-moving-on/comment-page-1/#comment-91616 Rebecca Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:32:56 +0000 http://american-family.org/?p=1384#comment-91616 I've found your posts and the comments about this fascinating. I spend so much time thinking, reading, and learning from various professionals about all of the variables that impact social life in schools and elsewhere, the better to help my daughter who has been diagnosed on the autism spectrum, I had almost forgotten that not everyone has the same obsession! I’ve found your posts and the comments about this fascinating. I spend so much time thinking, reading, and learning from various professionals about all of the variables that impact social life in schools and elsewhere, the better to help my daughter who has been diagnosed on the autism spectrum, I had almost forgotten that not everyone has the same obsession!

]]> By: Question of the Day… « alexisthetiny http://american-family.org/2008/08/25/one-more-then-moving-on/comment-page-1/#comment-91611 Question of the Day… « alexisthetiny Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:31:24 +0000 http://american-family.org/?p=1384#comment-91611 [...] Question of the Day… August 27, 2008 Reading this post and the two before it on AmFam, I cannot help but wonder. Exactly how much impact do out social experiences at school have on us [...] [...] Question of the Day… August 27, 2008 Reading this post and the two before it on AmFam, I cannot help but wonder. Exactly how much impact do out social experiences at school have on us [...]

]]> By: Lisa http://american-family.org/2008/08/25/one-more-then-moving-on/comment-page-1/#comment-91606 Lisa Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:11:22 +0000 http://american-family.org/?p=1384#comment-91606 Hmm, not a parent yet, so I have to admit as of yet I'm completely talking out my *ss here. School was really hard for me. It was something I survived, rather than enjoyed or flourished in. Partially that was because my parents didn't buy us the hip, trendy clothes, and we didn't have cable, and we weren't allowed to watch a lot of TV, and no one ever taught me how to put on makeup or do my hair just the right way. (I WAS, however, impeccably groomed and dressed, in clean clothes that were always relatively new -- just not *cool*. And my family was in the top 30% of the socio-economic makeup of our town.) But I think the main reason I didn't fit in was mostly because I was different -- I was a pretty exuberant kid and spoke my mind and sometimes said the wrong thing (still do actually) and wasn't athletic and never got into the "mean girl" mentality you needed to have in my competitive tiny Connecticut high school. So, I think when I have kids, I'll follow their lead, which seems to be what you're doing with M. I'll certainly make sure they're clean and their clothes are in good repair, but beyond that, I want them to make choices about how they dress, what their favorite activities are, etc. And if it turns out that they don't fit in, and everyone thinks their favorite shirt or hobby is dumb, well that will be a lesson about life -- sometimes people aren't going to agree with you, and that's ok. Hmm, not a parent yet, so I have to admit as of yet I’m completely talking out my *ss here.

School was really hard for me. It was something I survived, rather than enjoyed or flourished in. Partially that was because my parents didn’t buy us the hip, trendy clothes, and we didn’t have cable, and we weren’t allowed to watch a lot of TV, and no one ever taught me how to put on makeup or do my hair just the right way. (I WAS, however, impeccably groomed and dressed, in clean clothes that were always relatively new — just not *cool*. And my family was in the top 30% of the socio-economic makeup of our town.)

But I think the main reason I didn’t fit in was mostly because I was different — I was a pretty exuberant kid and spoke my mind and sometimes said the wrong thing (still do actually) and wasn’t athletic and never got into the “mean girl” mentality you needed to have in my competitive tiny Connecticut high school.

So, I think when I have kids, I’ll follow their lead, which seems to be what you’re doing with M. I’ll certainly make sure they’re clean and their clothes are in good repair, but beyond that, I want them to make choices about how they dress, what their favorite activities are, etc. And if it turns out that they don’t fit in, and everyone thinks their favorite shirt or hobby is dumb, well that will be a lesson about life — sometimes people aren’t going to agree with you, and that’s ok.

]]> By: Spacemom http://american-family.org/2008/08/25/one-more-then-moving-on/comment-page-1/#comment-91594 Spacemom Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:17:55 +0000 http://american-family.org/?p=1384#comment-91594 Oh lordy... First grade starts next week. Soleil dressed however the heck she wants. I do stop her when she mixes her dots and stripes or if I get a migraine when I glance in her direction. However, she has an inborn social gift that I don't. I was a geek before geek was cool. Hell, I still am geek all the way. I was shocked to find that Kindergarten in our town is rather, well, divided already. Money and not money. Sigh... It's hard. I feel for Mr. A. I also agree with the attractive comment. Soleil is beautiful. (And I'm not just saying that) She has this beauty that I have seen in a few kids and I can see that helps when her personality gets a little rough... I am not so beautiful, and when things got ugly at school some of my more defining features (buck teeth for one) were used in the insults. Along with that geek thing. Sigh Oh lordy… First grade starts next week.
Soleil dressed however the heck she wants. I do stop her when she mixes her dots and stripes or if I get a migraine when I glance in her direction. However, she has an inborn social gift that I don’t. I was a geek before geek was cool. Hell, I still am geek all the way.

I was shocked to find that Kindergarten in our town is rather, well, divided already. Money and not money. Sigh…

It’s hard. I feel for Mr. A.

I also agree with the attractive comment. Soleil is beautiful. (And I’m not just saying that) She has this beauty that I have seen in a few kids and I can see that helps when her personality gets a little rough…
I am not so beautiful, and when things got ugly at school some of my more defining features (buck teeth for one) were used in the insults. Along with that geek thing.

Sigh

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