This forum has given me so much confidence in being an advocate for my son, At a conference with the high school Counselor, to be ID'd as C:
When C looked at DS's grades in English and said "well, he's not the smartest kid in the class" I felt this forum holding my knees steady as I replied "Actually, C, he probably IS the smartest kid in the class, but he's not turning in the best (or most) homework, that's why I'm here"
And when C questioned the brutality of DS's course selection and schedule, I did not throttle him around the neck and snarl "YOU are the one who advised him and registered him last March, we never see the course selections till the schedule comes out in August."
And when C wondered about a dropped AP course, I politely reminded him about the registration snafu whose correction meant a schedule conflict (his fault, see above, but I didn't say that), but I did get my dig in when I mentioned that in 7 years of kids in that school, we have never had a clean schedule.
And when C asked what DS and his friends have in common, and I said "they play game x and do activity y and they're all gifted", and he looked up and said "they're what?", and I repeated "gifted" and he just stared at me like I was speaking Martian, I didn't walk out to find a new school. Though I should have.
On the bright side, we are working together on getting DS15 the help he needs to overcome his writers block and other anxieties. C at least has some suggestions, resources, and "next steps".
