Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Wear the T-shirt or Not?

...and if she really wanted to wear it, I would probably let her. If anyone asked about it, I would just say it was a summer program or camp that she got to go to. I graduated from U of C, Booth and wear the shirt all the time... I find that most folks, even in the Chicago area, are unaware of the school and reputation (and really do not care). I sort of figure that it would be the same with this shirt...

I wouldn't worry about it at all. Go to the park with him wearing the shirt, and you'll park next to a car with a "My child is on the honor roll at xxx school" bumpersticker, and on the other side will be a "My son goes to Harvard" and after that, a "My daughter is a US Marine". Guy walking by with a dog will have on a sweatshirt that says "Property of M.I.T."

I'd be inclined to let him wear it when he chooses to wear it (excepting, of course, state occasions like weddings and funerals). If that's where he went to summer camp, that's where he went to summer camp. And that's how I'd answer questions: "oh, it's his camp t-shirt". Wearing the shirt is not pretentious, nor is saying merely "it's a camp shirt." OTOH, having to use seven paragraphs to explain that he went to Special Super-Duper Snowflake Camp because he's just magically deliciously brilliant is unequivocally boorish (and we all know parents who'd do that).

ROTFL

Hmmm... my boys went years ago to CTD and I never thought twice about letting them wear the t-shirts. We never got a comment, a look or a question. I don't think that people look that closely or even know what it is, especially at that age. Maybe if my ds wore his CTD medal, lol, but a t-shirt? On a funny side note, ds12 came home from his chess camp (first time, and he loved it!) with a t-shirt. Dh, who is a bit of a geek himself, said, "don't let him wear that in public!" I just laughed, "hmmmm.. okay, should we have him wear his math team t-shirt or his gifted (middle school class) team t-shirt (the team name they picked out-emblazoned on the front- is 'nerd herd')?" Poor ds, lover of math and chess and science and programming, will not be able to escape his fate! Luckily, like dh, he's realized that being able to talk about sports is like currency he can spend in social situations.

Anyway, way off topic, but I guess I wanted to reassure you that even with the CTD tshirts, or the chess tshirts, or the math team tshirts, no one much seems to have noticed! And frankly, just the fact that you're aware of the potential implications means you are not the kind of "parent of gifted" who will drive everyone crazy!

I graduated from U of C, Booth and wear the shirt all the time... I find that most folks, even in the Chicago area, are unaware of the school and reputation

Well, I'm pretty impressed, lol, and think you should wear it proudly!:) (from the Chicago 'burbs)

I agree that no one seems to notice my kiddo's shirts either. He just finished chess camp and got a new t-shirt too. Really, I think that other people are probably similar to me -- I will notice the things I'm interested in. E.g., I was amused to see a coworker in a Joy Division t-shirt the other day, but I am unlikely to notice a country music t-shirt. I will notice a DYS t-shirt, but I will not pay attention to all the sports stuff.

I was actually at MSI yesterday and spotted a lot of CTD shirts, but I don't think most people even notice them if they're not aware of the program.

And honestly, most people aren't. Unless you have a child in a particular category, programs geared toward that category are pretty much off your radar. It would be like expecting most here to recognize t-shirts from the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, or to figure out whether that orange tiger paw signifies Auburn or Clemson.

Oooh - I just came across the t-shirt that I wouldn't let DS wear if he got it at camp! Periodic table snarky shirt