Child getting cold feet

poetgrl
Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:13 +0000

At this time last year, D was both applying to schools AND researching gap years…She was relatively ambivalent and by Christmas was absolutely dead set on the gap year option…burnt out on school, (read: really nervous), and whatnot. We asked her to just finish up the app process and then she could defer if necessary, and that would be fine with us, which it would have been. I see no real rush, actually in this day and age.

But once the acceptances began to roll in and her friends began to get acceptances and the focus shifted, in the spring, from applying to “where are you going?” she became very excited and the gap year concept was dropped. Two of her freinds did take gap years, though, choosing to defer enrollment, and I hear from the parents that they are doing well and quite happy with thier choice.

I think it’s a lot of pressure to put in those apps…And, wow, at 16! I’m sure that’s not easy for you, either.