Comments on: Why I Didn’t Go to My High School Reunion

By: NJ

NJ — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 01:35:08 +0000

I am so glad that I found your posting about this. I am coming up on my 20th reunion and I’m not going to go to mine either. I didn’t go to the 10 year reunion either. I have a few friends that I am still friends with from high school and we have been constant friends ever since graduation. Now, some of those friends have been facebooiking with people from high school, who have magically ‘popped up’in the last few months since hearing of the reunion, I think most of that is just nosiness and curiosity. Neither of which I have taken to. Most of these people have not changed and if I didn’t know them more intimately before the reunion, why would I want to bother now? I think it’s desperate backtracking. Like your daughter, I had a lot of obstackes to overcome and most kids…and even some teachers were cruel, but, I was able to find my handful of mates that accepted me as I did them…and they are lifelong friends. I think that in the end my strengths have come from the pain and abnormalness that I had to deal with when growing up. My going to this reunion would mean going backward. I can reminisce with the good friends I have from high school and I’d rather leave the fake ones in the past.

By: Mean Girls, Already « Elaine’s blog

Mean Girls, Already « Elaine’s blog — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:35:47 +0000

[...] Two of my favorite blogs have recently posted about when kids are cruel to each other: here and here. My story isn’t as dramatic as Mom-101s or Girlinapartyhats, but I’ve been thinking [...]

By: kathy (crafty chica kathy)

kathy (crafty chica kathy) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:06:27 +0000

oh amy, i can so relate. great post, so true on many levels. i think the coolest, smartest, most creative grown ups are the ones who were outcasts in grade, middle and high school. with such a great mom and values you are giving her, sophie is going to continue to grow up be a wonderful, smart, creative chica. she seems like a little girl who will always find the happy in every situation! that picture of her on the red carpet is so dang adorable!! talk about a money shot, she is glowing! are those rhinestones on her shoes?

By: Why I Didn’t Go To My High School Reunion, The Aftermath | Girl in a Party Hat

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:54:25 +0000

[...] you’re so brave!” one remarked over the post about Sophie’s experience at birthday parties and mine in high school that I’d put up [...]

By: Kathy

Kathy — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:44:31 +0000

Hey as a former cheerleader who life rolled over many times after that, ya never know where you’re kinda find your humility. Most of us are offered many opportunities though. The bed of roses is a blasted myth no matter who seems to be tiptoeing through it.

And to Z, as a person who spends a decent amount of time around Sophie, I sincerely doubt she has any clue about feeling “awkward”. Actually usually she’s the life of the party and she works it, believe me (I have the photos to prove it). Btw, do you have a clue that Sophie is a (albeit high functioning angel) 6 year old with Down Syndrome? Thought not.

By: Robert Polk

Robert Polk — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:08:56 +0000

Amy writes well, indeed; but in this post,,her skill is trumped by feeling. All of us whose DS loved one has been through this … (anguish).

This is gut-wrenching stuff. I hate it. And embrace you for it.

By: stacey

stacey — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:38:01 +0000

I can relate to this post in so many ways. That little girl of yours is just so beautiful.

By: starrlife

starrlife — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:28:32 +0000

Amy- I was alot like you in HS and haven’t changed all that much. I find alot of people surprisingly mean spirited and narrow (my defense I’m sure) and totally get the cheerleader, cheerleader scenario.On the other hand there are people out there who are extremely goodhearted and loving.
I too worry a bit about my daughter’s ability to “fit in”. They will Not fit in and my take on it is that is going to have to be made into a positive. In other words, I can help her learn who is good peeps and who are not. And to value the peeps that just love her just the way she is. Cousins (in your case sibs) take on a new light. I, as her mom, feel just as much one of her BFF’s since I like to be around to facilitate social interaction.
I do not think that anything you wrote was inappropriate. Our kids do need extra help with social skills, usually re: to a bit of immaturity, and the average kid needs help with their own developmental challenges around narcissism, cliqueness and kindness! Hugs!

By: Z

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:54:36 +0000

I hope your daughter never reads this. If it were me, I would be horrified. She is probably telling herself that people don’t notice how awkward she is. She probably takes comfort in just hoping that’s true. What you put on the web is out there forever. You can’t take it back. Is this really want you want her to read about herself?

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:14:31 +0000

“Cheerleader, cheerleader, cheerleader, bitchy student body president”…that’s pretty much a summary of every workplace, restaurant, club and social event, isn’t it?

This is excellent, as always. I miss you.
XO