I always had friends and seemed extroverted, but was an introvert at heart. I was highly sensitive and feel sick to my stomach seeing anyone teased or treated poorly. I read social cues too much and forever trying to please and keep people happy. Made me so anxious. I easily scores very well on IQ tests, etc because I am a good test taker, but was not that intellectual or excited about school.

My older child has HFA. He has friends, fewer than I did and gets invited to much fewer parties, but he is much happier. He misses social cues, but likes everyone and sees the best in people. He obsesses over articles he reads and math problems, but not over social issues. While I want to improve his social skills, I don't want him to ache the way I did. He is not a great test taker like I am, but he is in love with learning and much more intellectually curious than I am.

My daughter is like a mini me except she's a better athlete and even more socially savvy than I was.

She's adopted and so much better than me in every way except organization.

No learning disabilities, not predisposed to being fat, great hair, good skin, great at makeup, makes friends easily. I don't think she's ever gotten in a fight with a friend. Least socially awkward person I know.

Anonymous wrote:Our oldest mirrors my DH: smart, lovely, laid back, etc
Our youngest: smart, hungry, gunner type

Youngest is not laid back like me. But my oldest’s cest la vie attitude drives me nuts. Which is crazy because he’s doing great, he’s just not over the top like me, and his brother. And as I’ve gotten older, I apprecite the attitude of my oldest DS more.

Meant unlike me.

Our oldest mirrors my DH: smart, lovely, laid back, etc
Our youngest: smart, hungry, gunner type

Youngest is not laid back like me. But my oldest’s cest la vie attitude drives me nuts. Which is crazy because he’s doing great, he’s just not over the top like me, and his brother. And as I’ve gotten older, I apprecite the attitude of my oldest DS more.

I think the "peak in HS" kids are ones who are never exposed to anything outside their, usually small, immediate universe. Nobody peaks while having someone else in charge of them as a minor unless they are stunted and have no concept of how big the world is

Mine is like me: an introvert with a close knit groups of 7 or 8 similarly quirky kids.

My older child was and still is a social butterfly with a huge crowd, but also a core group of 4 or 5 lifelong friends

Were you popular? Nerdy? Awkward? A social butterfly? Top of the class?

Where does your kid fall?

I was incredibly socially awkward and only has a handful of friends. I didn’t excel at anything and mostly went through unnoticed. I didn’t hate high school but I didn’t love it.

DS and DD (17) seem to be incredibly well-liked by peers and staff alike. Both academically and athletically talented. Very well-rounded and at least appear kind.

It’s bizarre, I always imagined my kids would be as awkward as DH and I but they’re not and never have been. Clueless where this came from.

Also worried they’ll peak in HS like so many of my more popular peers.

They don’t seem nearly as excited about college as I was.