My 10 yo daughter, Blondie, is such a sweet kid. She was so shy when she was younger. Take that shyness and add to it she is the Big Sis of a little one who has had some serious health problems and she was a little slow to bloom.
(Not that her ship has sailed at age 10.)
But our little Blondie started to explode last year in 4th Grade. All of a sudden she is shouting out answers in class, bringing home extra science books to read (hey, let’s be clear, I still HATE Science Projects) and becoming some sort of an amazing Math Whiz.
So we are proud. And she works hard – this isn’t a freebie for her. Homework, discipline, really engaging teacher …
Then we go to Parent Teacher Conference (where mercifully, the chairs are normal sized) and find out, that though she is doing really well, the teacher feels she isn’t working up to her potential.
After a few hours at home, finally the crying comes. (And it comes so much more often now that she is 10 – I’m dying here.) Turns out the “popular” boys (I prefer to call them the “asshole” boys, but that’s just me) are degrading her and calling her show off.
If anyone tells on these boys, they call you a snitch. She is terrified of being labeled as such. My husband and I, not so much.
I wanted to drive my helicopter onto the school yard and cut off their heads. My husband, who is the calmer, wanted to have them kicked out of the school district and make sure they never get into an Ivy League School.
The 10 yo? She just dumbed herself down.
Calmer heads prevailed. At least the martinis helped.
There are always going to be some fucking boys telling my girl she is too smart. So Ya! One more thing to parent around. I’ll tell you how it goes. (Stay tuned, for the love of God.)
I had the same thing when I was at school, got called a "boff" which is kind of a hilarious British alternative to nerd I guess.
ReplyDeleteFunny how you always end up wishing you were smarter when you get a bit older, just a shame we can't make kids understand that now!
Oh hell no! My baby girl turned 21 in Aug. and is a college senior. She is expected to graduate with high honors in May 2011. From day one I tried to teach her to NEVER dumb down for anyone. Elementary School was hard, but by Middle School she hit her stride and really excelled. I hope your daughter gets to that point sooner, where she doesn't care what the asshole boys think.
ReplyDeleteAh Lovies! Thanks for the words. Tara, she is doing so much better in Middle School, you are totally right. And we have been teaching her to say: Yes, I am smart. I like being smart!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd to my Boff friend - LOVE that word. Kinda cool. xxx Dee Dee
It took me until college, but I finally found a boy who appreciated my smarts and wasn't intimidated by me. I married him. :)
ReplyDeleteShe will be a standout in college! Girls do not mind being very smart then and do not care what the "boys" think!!
ReplyDeleteTell her that you have it on good authority that boys LOVE smart girls. I married one so smart that she's been wrong twice in the last 16 years-when she thought our son would be born, and when she decided to go through with marrying me.
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