Are some schools really better for quirky kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is unconventional about being like my DD? Ask her and others like her. Do you even have older kids? This problem is real. Making it about semantics is not helpful to OP. If OP's child stays the way she is and went to my DD's school, she would find it hard to fit in. And it sucks not to fit in.

Why don’t you answer it then? Move the conversation forward and stop responding with lame riddles.

We live in an incredibly diverse area so what’s non conventional in a school here?

Dc is a liberal nerdville so maybe cheerleading or football or being patriotic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a quirky 10 year old DD and exploring schools to apply to for either 5th or 6th.

I am going to open houses and also talking to friends with kids at target schools. My friends suggest that some schools have a reputation for being better for quirky girls. Is this really a thing? Like some school are better for athletic kids, or kids who are artistic, or whatever? Don’t most of these schools have a mix of kids?

I guess I am wondering if there really is a different (in terms of personality or interests) pool of kids who go to Sidwell vs. GDS vs. Holton? (Just examples)

FWIW, when I say quirky, to me it means my DD has strong interests in some fairly narrow areas - for example, she loves history, her sport is a martial art, and she sews and reads for fun. She also plays video games, etc., - are there really schools which are a better fit for “girls like her”?

Every school has many girls like this.

You sound paranoid.

[Anonymous]

Bible club is probably unconventional here.

[Anonymous]

Drill clubs are unconventional here

[Anonymous]

How about schools that try to fix quirky kids and make them cool? You know, play sports, dress well, get girls etc.

[Anonymous]

Morris dancing

[Anonymous]

I am looking for a school that has a Future Farmers of America club, a Bulgarian women's choir, rhythmic gymnastics, and pot roast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about schools that try to fix quirky kids and make them cool? You know, play sports, dress well, get girls etc.

Isn’t learning to fit in, or deciding not to, part of what you learn in school?

Wouldn’t switching them from an environment that presents some challenges to one you think will be easier for them prevent them from learning some very valuable life lessons?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about schools that try to fix quirky kids and make them cool? You know, play sports, dress well, get girls etc.

Have you been in any high school around here? If there aren’t uniforms everyone looks like a total slob ready to fall asleep.
And very little dating.
And easily half the school can’t even catch a ball. Any ball.

Do you even live around here?
There are large groups of everything here! Non athletes, individual athletes, robot club kids, team sport athletes, debate kids, activist kids, kids with zero muscle tone, and so on.

[Anonymous]

As mentioned previously,different schools have different vibes. Once one gets to selecting a middle school, the kid should have a say as to which school s/he wishes to attend. You can narrow the field but they have to go there, not you. Luckily, there are many great independent schools that fit the bill. You have identified several of them already, which is also good. Regardless of where you ultimately go, maintaining friendships with kids from outside your child's school and fostering friendships with the opposite gender helps you navigate the tween and teen years more sanely. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am looking for a school that has a Future Farmers of America club, a Bulgarian women's choir, rhythmic gymnastics, and pot roast.

Good luck.

We have to drive out to Vienna for synchronized swimming. No bullying yet by the “conventional” kids, whoever they are.

[Anonymous]

Op here. I have four kids. I don’t tell DD she is quirky, or describe her that way, but she is definitely someone who has very specific things she is interested in.

For example, for her Halloween costume she’s a person from a biography she read last year (the equivalent of a Nobel prize winning scientist). My other kids are going to be more typical things like super heroes, black cats, witches, etc. There is nothing wrong with her choice - we should definitely celebrate scientists! - but it’s an unusual choice.

Looking for a place where she can be herself and blossom, and not sure that’s her current school. We are otherwise happy with her school, so only want to move her if it would be a better “fit.” But of course I’m wondering if all the schools are really pretty much the same (in terms of kids personalities), which is why I am posting.

[Anonymous]

Ours is similar and has done really well at our DC K-8. We are currently looking at HS and DD really liked Burke, SSFS, and Maret.

Where do you live?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I have four kids. I don’t tell DD she is quirky, or describe her that way, but she is definitely someone who has very specific things she is interested in.

For example, for her Halloween costume she’s a person from a biography she read last year (the equivalent of a Nobel prize winning scientist). My other kids are going to be more typical things like super heroes, black cats, witches, etc. There is nothing wrong with her choice - we should definitely celebrate scientists! - but it’s an unusual choice.

Looking for a place where she can be herself and blossom, and not sure that’s her current school. We are otherwise happy with her school, so only want to move her if it would be a better “fit.” But of course I’m wondering if all the schools are really pretty much the same (in terms of kids personalities), which is why I am posting.

OP the point is, to kids, quirky is a pejorative term. I suggest you drop it from your vocabulary

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I have four kids. I don’t tell DD she is quirky, or describe her that way, but she is definitely someone who has very specific things she is interested in.

For example, for her Halloween costume she’s a person from a biography she read last year (the equivalent of a Nobel prize winning scientist). My other kids are going to be more typical things like super heroes, black cats, witches, etc. There is nothing wrong with her choice - we should definitely celebrate scientists! - but it’s an unusual choice.

Looking for a place where she can be herself and blossom, and not sure that’s her current school. We are otherwise happy with her school, so only want to move her if it would be a better “fit.” But of course I’m wondering if all the schools are really pretty much the same (in terms of kids personalities), which is why I am posting.

It sounds like she's fine where she is. Other schools are not really pretty much the same, but if she's not unhappy and doing okay academically, I wouldn't move her. Especially if it would be a logistical challenge.

Usually when people describe their child as "quirky" I think they mean it as a euphemism for slight ASD/what used to be called Asperger's, or high anxiety or something else that causes them to have behaviors or needs that require an especially supportive environment.