Community Chat

[sfnative]

Madisson,

I hear you and think I understand the challenges with which you were faced.

My DD was to enter kindergarten in '82 and public ed in our city was so not good or even half way decent at that time, so we decided to privately educate her.  We went through evaluation at several schools.  Her birthday is mid-September, so I knew she'd be on the really young side and didn't even know if any of these schools would take her.  As it turned out, she was accepted at all of the schools, so we choose the one we felt would be the best fit for her.  Several weeks into kindergarten, we learned that the age range in her class was 18 months!!!  And that my DD was the 3rd youngest. " Oh, geez," I recall was my reaction.  This is so not good.  Learned further that the older girls had been denied entry the previous year as they required further "development" of one sort or another.  I'd say my DD had a more difficult time only because we came to realize that she is a "highly sensitivie" person, so was constantly challenged by the way her brain processes external stimuli.  It wasn't until she was in college that she was able to get a handle on this.

[Madisson]

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@sfnative wrote:

Madisson,

I hear you and think I understand the challenges with which you were faced.

My DD was to enter kindergarten in '82 and public ed in our city was so not good or even half way decent at that time, so we decided to privately educate her.  We went through evaluation at several schools.  Her birthday is mid-September, so I knew she'd be on the really young side and didn't even know if any of these schools would take her.  As it turned out, she was accepted at all of the schools, so we choose the one we felt would be the best fit for her.  Several weeks into kindergarten, we learned that the age range in her class was 18 months!!!  And that my DD was the 3rd youngest. " Oh, geez," I recall was my reaction.  This is so not good.  Learned further that the older girls had been denied entry the previous year as they required further "development" of one sort or another.  I'd say my DD had a more difficult time only because we came to realize that she is a "highly sensitivie" person, so was constantly challenged by the way her brain processes external stimuli.  It wasn't until she was in college that she was able to get a handle on this.

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I understand what your daughter must have gone through. For me, the academic part of school was never a problem...but the social part got to me because I was younger than so many of my classmates I wasn't as physically mature. I was naturally introverted, to make it worse. My classmates could all drive before I could, they dated before I could, etc. I was never diagnosed as "highly sensitive," but I think I was. I'm happy to hear that your daughter eventually got a handle on it. College certainly challenges you and forces you to both step out of your comfort zone and to accept critiques more easily.

[lulu2]

My kindergarten experience was unique in that I started in October.  My sister started in September on schedule.  Our mother suffered from manic depression and was hospitalized late September.  My father spoke with the parish priest who decided my sister would move to 1st grade and I'd start kindergarten, 2 months shy of my 4th birthday.

I loved school and did well. (I still have my report card)  We had kindergarten graduation as well as an end of the year play.  I had one of the leads.  I remember singing Davey Crockett and Would You Like to Swing on a Star.

[sfnative]

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@Madisson wrote:

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@sfnative wrote:

Madisson,

I hear you and think I understand the challenges with which you were faced.

My DD was to enter kindergarten in '82 and public ed in our city was so not good or even half way decent at that time, so we decided to privately educate her.  We went through evaluation at several schools.  Her birthday is mid-September, so I knew she'd be on the really young side and didn't even know if any of these schools would take her.  As it turned out, she was accepted at all of the schools, so we choose the one we felt would be the best fit for her.  Several weeks into kindergarten, we learned that the age range in her class was 18 months!!!  And that my DD was the 3rd youngest. " Oh, geez," I recall was my reaction.  This is so not good.  Learned further that the older girls had been denied entry the previous year as they required further "development" of one sort or another.  I'd say my DD had a more difficult time only because we came to realize that she is a "highly sensitivie" person, so was constantly challenged by the way her brain processes external stimuli.  It wasn't until she was in college that she was able to get a handle on this.

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I understand what your daughter must have gone through. For me, the academic part of school was never a problem...but the social part got to me because I was younger than so many of my classmates I wasn't as physically mature. I was naturally introverted, to make it worse. My classmates could all drive before I could, they dated before I could, etc. I was never diagnosed as "highly sensitive," but I think I was. I'm happy to hear that your daughter eventually got a handle on it. College certainly challenges you and forces you to both step out of your comfort zone and to accept critiques more easily.

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Hi Madisson,

I totally understand where you're coming from and hope that you had supportive parents (!)  My DD got a handle on it and helped me as well, when one of her dorm mates came running up to her one evning daying, "Dana, you have to read this book my Mom sent me. I have finally found myself in it!"  Apparently, this friend of my daughter's was highly senstive, as was her mother.  So...my daughter read the book and immediately called me and told me that she recognized herself in the book - not to the ultra serious point, but definitely as a highly sensitive person re the way her brain handles sensory input, so I immediately purchased a copy and read it.  Extremely enlightening!  It said many things I had thought over the years as her mother.

Regarding college challenges, we got lucky, or should I say my daughter got lucky.  I say this because in the 8th grade, which was the last year at the private girls school, they had to take a course called "Term Paper."  During that last year, all the girls had to write 8 terms papers!  She then went to a Jesuit high school with strong academics and took lots of AP courses and graduated with Life CSF (Life California Scholarship Federation).  I'm very thankful that she really was ready for college.  She had numerous dorm friends coming to her for advice on how to organize their study habits, etc I can't imagine sending my child off to college without those skills.

[LucyGoose]

Kindergarten was a good experience for me, I guess. Everytime I think of or hear the word "kindergarten", I remember the really strong smell of crayola crayons.

[CANDLEQUEEN]

It was very fun, it was in 1966 and Kindergarten was only a 1/2 day and it was mostly singing and playing and arts and crafts and recess time.......I loved it!!!!!!!

[Madisson]

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@sfnative wrote:

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@Madisson wrote:

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@sfnative wrote:

Madisson,

I hear you and think I understand the challenges with which you were faced.

My DD was to enter kindergarten in '82 and public ed in our city was so not good or even half way decent at that time, so we decided to privately educate her.  We went through evaluation at several schools.  Her birthday is mid-September, so I knew she'd be on the really young side and didn't even know if any of these schools would take her.  As it turned out, she was accepted at all of the schools, so we choose the one we felt would be the best fit for her.  Several weeks into kindergarten, we learned that the age range in her class was 18 months!!!  And that my DD was the 3rd youngest. " Oh, geez," I recall was my reaction.  This is so not good.  Learned further that the older girls had been denied entry the previous year as they required further "development" of one sort or another.  I'd say my DD had a more difficult time only because we came to realize that she is a "highly sensitivie" person, so was constantly challenged by the way her brain processes external stimuli.  It wasn't until she was in college that she was able to get a handle on this.

---

I understand what your daughter must have gone through. For me, the academic part of school was never a problem...but the social part got to me because I was younger than so many of my classmates I wasn't as physically mature. I was naturally introverted, to make it worse. My classmates could all drive before I could, they dated before I could, etc. I was never diagnosed as "highly sensitive," but I think I was. I'm happy to hear that your daughter eventually got a handle on it. College certainly challenges you and forces you to both step out of your comfort zone and to accept critiques more easily.

---

Hi Madisson,

I totally understand where you're coming from and hope that you had supportive parents (!)  My DD got a handle on it and helped me as well, when one of her dorm mates came running up to her one evning daying, "Dana, you have to read this book my Mom sent me. I have finally found myself in it!"  Apparently, this friend of my daughter's was highly senstive, as was her mother.  So...my daughter read the book and immediately called me and told me that she recognized herself in the book - not to the ultra serious point, but definitely as a highly sensitive person re the way her brain handles sensory input, so I immediately purchased a copy and read it.  Extremely enlightening!  It said many things I had thought over the years as her mother.

Regarding college challenges, we got lucky, or should I say my daughter got lucky.  I say this because in the 8th grade, which was the last year at the private girls school, they had to take a course called "Term Paper."  During that last year, all the girls had to write 8 terms papers!  She then went to a Jesuit high school with strong academics and took lots of AP courses and graduated with Life CSF (Life California Scholarship Federation).  I'm very thankful that she really was ready for college.  She had numerous dorm friends coming to her for advice on how to organize their study habits, etc I can't imagine sending my child off to college without those skills.

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Hi SFNative,

I'm glad to hear things turned out so well for your daughter. My father was my savior in my case. My mother was a rather harsh, controlling person. My father got me involved in Community theatre when I entered junior high...and I took some acting lessons on the side. That and some other things I was involved in helped develop my confidence. I still consider myself an introvert, although no one else sees me that way. I know that there are highly sensitive extroverts also. I'm not actually highly sensitive anymore, but that is due to really working at it throughout my schooling. The easiest thing is to sit back and refuse to get involved in things so that no one can hurt you. It's nice that all turned out well for your daughter.

[Drythe]

Kindergarten was OK, except lunch.

After lunch we had free time for a while.  The faster you ate, the faster you got to go to the playroom.  It was an individual thing, finish, carry your tray, go play.  

I am a slow eater, not picky per se, just slow.  I was always last to finish, it didn't hold anyone else up, but for some reason other kids had to come back to the dining room and tease me about being last - EVERY SINGLE DAM DAY!

What's the big deal about eating FAST?

[nun ya]

I remember, early 70's,  I was still 4 yrs old and it was a half day. My Mom would drop me and the girl up the street off in front of the doors. I remember accidently dropping the glass gallon of juice  and seeing it explode. I still have a "cookbook" that we all contributed to, it's quite funny to  read. 

Later on in grade school, I realized if I told the school nurse I wasn't feeling well, she'd call my Grandma and she'd pick me up and I could watch tv at her house.

[sfnative]

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@Drythe wrote:

Kindergarten was OK, except lunch.

After lunch we had free time for a while.  The faster you ate, the faster you got to go to the playroom.  It was an individual thing, finish, carry your tray, go play.  

I am a slow eater, not picky per se, just slow.  I was always last to finish, it didn't hold anyone else up, but for some reason other kids had to come back to the dining room and tease me about being last - EVERY SINGLE DAM DAY!

What's the big deal about eating FAST?

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I had forgotten all about lunch.  We did have a cafeteria in my first grammar school, but not in the second one.  In the first grammar school I recall us eating rather fast as well.  And, also recall that we were all very rude to a really nice boy from the Middle East whose mom made him spinach and egg sandwiches every day.  I don't know why we had to give him grief over that.  Kids can be so cruel.  I feel so guilty just writing about it.  Wish I could find him and apologize.  Never did anything like that again.

Growing up in San Francisco was so special, as we had many foreign students in every school I went to and in every neighborhood.  I grew up close to UCSF Medical School, so had friends whose Dads and Moms were Resident physicians, Staff physicians or nurses.  At one time, my best friend was the daughter of the Norweigen ambassador.  Then came a girl from Germany, another from Switzerland, yet another from Japan and my ever present friend Dale, whose mother invited me to eat Chinese food at their house all the time.  She couldn't believe I loved the rice water fermented gelatin-type dessert, saying I wasn't supposed to like it.  Very fond memories indeed.