Why Creative Kids Struggle

Being a creative child, I found myself to be more sensitive. I saw things a little differently from other kids which just made me stand out. I did not want that. All I wanted was to be understood and to be left to see the things I appreciated. But I noticed teachers just wanted me to conform. It was a different era when discipline was king. We were all expected to conform no matter what.

I wanted to work alone, there was a lot of daydreaming and that often led to thinking abstractly. Just looking at a cloud meant I could see something in it that drew my attention. I rarely shared the vision because there was little understanding about what I saw. In school, getting good grades was not my focus although I knew I had to get good grades. My need to be creative took priority.

Those teachers who recognized my abilities spent more time with me to explain things. In spite of wanting to be alone, I appreciated the right kind of attention, where I was not made to feel odd. These rare few went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable. I will always be grateful for them. Squashing someone's artistic abilities is like destroying their dreams. These teachers did not demand I conform. I would say today, there are more of them in alternate schools.

As I can confirm, we rare thinkers come up with new ideas and offer special contributions. What is needed is for teachers to recognize and embrace our differences. If you have a special kid like that, let them know you understand. They will go far.