Life Lessons as a Parent

I've learned as my kids have grown that we are never through learning. I've also learned that this whole parenting gig is the hardest thing ever. Nothing can prepare you for watching another human being mold into a person, with personalities and mistakes and fun and love like no other experience on earth.

We got a notice this week that the school wants to test my daughter for the gifted program. Now, I know every parent on this earth wants to believe their child is gifted, and in truth they all are. Each person has their own gifts and talents that make them unique. The problem here is looking at this from a realistic point of veiw. At first I was kind of taken aback. I mean I think my kid is special but for someone else to say so is really cool. Then I had to stop and think...but wait, doesn't every first grader think outside the box? Don't they all show creative abilities and promise until that gets squashed the older they get?

Then there's this - and I warn you now this is selfish on my part. I want it. Badly. I want my daughter to have this program in her life that meant so so much to me when I was a kid. I know exactly what the gifted program is because I was in it for something like 8 years. I feel like it is one of the surest ways to NOT turn out a little autobot from the public school system. The program is as unstructured as public education can be and forces children to stay outside the box. And the older she gets she will be exposed to older and younger children from other backgrounds. Some of them will challenge her too, because they will be the ones who are really really ingelligent. You know, the smart kids with almost no social skills. And of course the lucky ones who are smart and socially ept. Those are the ones who challenged me the most. Because they were cool and part of the in crowd. Plus they made me think. Me, I was a part of all the crowds. I was just one of those people who blended. But anyway I digress.

We won't know anything for a while. Won't even know when they will test her. And I don't think I even want to tell her they will be doing it. Although I'm plenty open to opinions on that one.

So, this is me. Being selfish and trying to be realistic. And trust me, I'm completely ok if my kid is just average, because I know her gifts and she will learn them as she grows. I just see this as the opportunity for her to use them to the fullest. Hopefully anyway. :)