Parenting An Artist – Guest Blogger, Ginny A
Featured guest blogger, Ginny A, writes about the difficulties of parenting the artistic child.
Living With a Drama Kid
or: Just how special is special?
Im not sure she ever really had a choice about being a drama kid. It may not have been prenatal fantasies I had but I certainly knew my baby was going to be a remarkable person. She was born into a family who had more than their share of scary brilliance. With the brain power and innate talent on both sides of Krissys family, my baby was going to be very special. And I spent all of my young parenting skills making sure she had what ever books or crayons or vision or support she needed to live up to the amazing genes she inherited. I suppose I may have been a little too supportive.
For example:Most 14 year olds will make you want to stick a fork in your eye and Krissy was about 14 at the time. She had just handed me yet another interim report with an F or E or I or whatever the school was using at the time for a parental call to arms for me to sign and I was hot.
NOT again. Oh Lord how many times did I have to deal with this? Believe me she wasnt slow or even average (she was gifted and talented) She didnt struggle with schoolwork or even failed any tests. She usually managed to pull her grades out of the crapper by the time the final grades were in but Lordy, Lordy why did we have to go through this all the time?? Why Krissy? Why? Why in the world do you think you dont have to do your homework?! Her big, deep, dark beautiful eyes were sad, sad and looking for all the world like someone deeply betrayed. And it was her answer that staggered me.
Her voice broke and her eyes filled with tears. A deep wail welled up and she cried Because you always said I was SPECIAL
Well. Yes, yes I had. She said it with complete sincerity and I knew exactly what she meant. She was special. Krissy taught herself to read at 4 years old. She put on an improv go-go dance for her adoring fans from a 2nd story balcony when she was 3. She lived in a world of imagination that only existed in books or movies. We read poetry and Shel Silverstein and Shakespeare together. She took acting classes in elementary school. And she got in trouble in school for reading too much.
Krissy had a fiery rage when she saw injustice from a very tender age. She was often chosen to go to the Special Ed classes to play with the students and she was never without some child who needed a good friend and a protector from the cold world. She asked every question you could imagine from Why would my teacher lie to me? She told me that there is no number less than 0? to (at 
Why would married people use birth control? According to this young parent, this child of the 60s, my daughter was very special indeed.
Looking down at my agonizing teenager I wanted to both laugh and cry. Gagging down my laughter and trying not to cry, I sternly replied, Youre not that special. But of course I didnt really mean it.
I think I must be somewhat responsible.
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