Screwed up.. how to explain this to my parents

geek_mom
Sun, 11 Apr 2010 12:57:00 +0000

^ NewHope, I was all of those things and I really didn’t understand the stress factor until I was in grad school. Just saying this is something to monitor closely, because a kid may not send up smoke signals… and there can be issues that don’t show up in the GPA.

This example wouldn’t happen to kids of a CC parent, but it did to me: I was out when the school announced PSAT testing… and never heard of the test until one of my classmates was announced NMSF in senior year. I was a standardized testing machine, and back then (pre-Internet) it would have made a huge difference to get some college junk mail in junior year. I also missed out on choir auditions, which meant no “named” part in the musical, and a few other opportunities I won’t bore you with. The point: It’s not just about the homework.

In families with more academic support, could well be a non-issue. I’m not saying you’re baaaaad if you take your kids out of school for a couple of days here and there… just saying it’s worth keeping in mind and keeping a close eye on your kiddos.