WHEN SCHOOL IS NOT A GREAT PLACE FOR YOUR CHILD

Many years ago a teenage girl told me "school is a fun place for the kids that have something they are good at. It isn't a great place for me. I'm in the middle, not good at anything and I feel bad about myself every day." I really did some thinking about this. Schools have done more to provide accolades for other kids in the schools. But for many kids they still do not feel valued or important at the most fragile time in their lives. The athletes, the musicians, the artists and the academics among others get recognized by the school and their peers. This still leaves out a large section of the school population. It is not the job of the school to provide this for all the students and there is no way to down play the star quarterback etc. If your child falls in the middle it is important to help them find something they excel at. This can be in the community, the church etc. We are all good at something. Kids need to understand what their gifts and talents are. As parents we can help our children explore these things and encourage them to pursue those interests. Sherri