On Being Bored

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It was 2 weeks before Christmas in December of  2011  the teacher called from the Catholic School to let us know that my oldest- age 13, my kid bright, funny, creative , artistic child was failing out of school. This was the 3rd school in 3 years mind you. The one we hoped would be the answer to our problems. The one that would make her happy. We were not really even looking for her to be academically stimulated at this point.  That would have been too much to ask for. No. We just wanted her to be emotionally well and hopefully get through to high school.  

I honestly did not see that phone call coming.   I mean afterall,  my kid who didn't know if she believed in God had a Rosary hanging on her bed,  was playing on the school basketball team, and had a nice circle of friends. Heck, she seemed happy. 

That day, the teacher called to say that my daughter had 4 F's and would I mind coming in for a meeting. This was so familiar to me and boy was I prepared. I sent a long email explaining underachieving gifted kids. At this point I had read the books, done some research and I had a pretty clear idea that she was bored but I still didn't really GET IT. I didn't get that thing I want to share with you on this blog. The thing that changed everything. You see I understood bored the way most of us do. Surely we have all heard the statement that some things in life are boring and well...you just have to do them.

​Yeah, what I really didn't get was just how soul crushing, mind numbing and cruel it was to be sending that poor girl to school day after day to be taught things she already knew, to learn in ways that didn't light her up, by teachers who had no idea how to light a fire in her belly and help her learn. . No, I wasn't there just yet but I would soon be. 

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