My dd14 was in tears last night with the frustration of feeling isolated from the other kids in her school. "Sure I have plenty of people I am friendly with, but no one who is my real friend, who I match with." She is an incredibly kind, outgoing person, who refuses to talk about other people. Socially and emotionally, she's like a college kid (in fact she has a few friends who are college kids...)
I can't believe I did this, but I drew her the bell curve. And I explained a little. And I finally ended up saying "you don't feel like you match with anyone, because you probably don't". If I combine the unusualness of your smarts, with the unusualness of your artistic sensitivity, with the unusualness (for middle school) of your interests it is likely that no one matches up with you. And I tried to reassure her that next year things could be different. She's going to a new, bigger school that she/we chose because it "felt right". I explained that she is more likely to find children more like her-- closer fit friends.
How'd I do? What would you have done differently? What do you wish someone had told you in middle school? Are there books you'd recommend to me? to her?
Thanks
