So this weekend is the Super Bowl. I only know this because Schizz has strict orders to warn me so that I can make other plans. There was a time, years ago, that I tried to enjoy watching football. I would attend the high school games with friends and attempt to follow along but it seems like an awful lot of crashing and whistles and standing around. Anyway, about ten years ago, after attending one too many Super Bowl parties, I swore off watching football forevermore. I am a New Englander and I want the Pats to win. I just don’t want to watch it.
I may not love football, but do you know what I do love? Underdogs. I have always, always, always loved the underdogs.
I went into public education because of the underdogs. I went into urban education because of the underdogs. I went into urban special education because of the underdogs. I’ve talked about this before, in a few different posts now. I could go on and on about how inequitable our public education system can be, but I’ll spare you.
Instead, I just want to give a shout out to the underdogs, to their parents, and to their teachers. You know that post that circulated a few months back, the one about THAT kid? I love THAT kid, folks. I always have, and I always will. As a school psych, I would read a referral and instantly know whether or not the referred student was THAT kid. I looked forward to working with THAT kid. I know it was a relief for his or her teacher on those days that I removed THAT kid from the class for testing. It was a relief to have the student out of the room for a bit, and I get it. I really do. It’s hard to teach THAT kid, it’s hard to parent THAT kid, but- most of all- it’s hard to be THAT kid. Believe me when I tell you that it was a relief for THAT kid to be out of the classroom, too. I could see it in his eyes. There’s always more to the story, folks. Always. You can’t judge that kid because you don’t know his story. Be kind, always.
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When I decided to stay home with my children, part of me felt like I was abandoning the underdog, that I was leaving THAT kid behind. For six years now, I’ve missed THAT kid and all his underdog friends. I thought I would be returning to them in a couple of years, once my kids were in school full-time. Instead, I ended up suddenly and unexpectedly homeschooling, a decision that was made, in part, because we feared our child was becoming THAT kid. And we couldn’t leave him behind.
It’s a funny thing, to have a blog. You write all this stuff and send it out into cyberland and you don’t know who - if anyone- will read any of it, let alone relate to it. Since starting this silly lil’ blog, I’ve received so many comments, messages, and e-mails from parents and educators who also love the underdogs. I’ve loved connecting with each and every one of these kindred spirits. I’ve come to realize that I’m still rooting for the underdogs, I’m just doing it from a different vantage point. The more things change, the more things stay the same.
So tonight, as we head into Super Bowl weekend, I’d like to thank all my kindred spirits out there in cyberland. Thank you for reading, thank you for sharing your stories with me. Thank you for rooting for the underdogs.
(The subject of underdogs is sorta, in a roundabout way, appropriate for Super Bowl weekend, is it not? Goooooo Pats!!)
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Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
~Plato
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Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley
Cait co-hosts The Homeschool Sisters Podcast and is co-founder of Raising Poppies, a community for parents of gifted and twice-exceptional children. Cait is also founder of the Family Book Club at My Little Poppies, a fantastic community of book-loving parents and the Gameschool Community at My Little Poppies, a vibrant community of gameschoolers.
Cait is a contributing writer for Simple Homeschool and GeekMom. Her work has also appeared on The Huffington Post, The Mighty, and Scary Mommy. You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram
and G+.
Latest posts by Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley (see all)
- Super-Simple, Hands-On Flag Study - July 3, 2017
- The Kindness Elves Inspire Kindness at Home and Beyond - June 29, 2017
- Delightfully Fun Math Books for Children - June 26, 2017
Thanks for the post. I became a pediatrician to take care of the same kid. I trained in the Bronx…chock full of kids like that. And now practice in an underserved rural area. My son has taught me to be a better pediatrician with all the joys and challenges of raising a gifted child. I root for the underdog too.
Wendy,
I cannot even tell you how much I love this comment. Seriously. I worked in Chelsea, MA, just outside of Boston. It’s not quite the Bronx but it’s an underserved gem and I still miss it. I learned more from those kid than any school could teach me. So glad you are helping those underdogs!
Thank you, once again, for reminding me that my child, who can be THAT kid, finds it just as hard to be that kid as I do to be his mum. Thanks for the reminder to keep on with the journey, even when it seems like you only hit dead ends. Thank you.
You’re so welcome, Jo! I’m glad it resonates with you. So happy that we have found others online who lead similar lives! 🙂