Reflecting Back..

Remember my mum telling me after parent-teacher interview, “your teacher told me that you are very quiet in class and often found daydreaming, looking outside the classroom window….”

I was 6 years old, and it was 1979. I didn’t understand what my mum or my teacher was saying.

In 1979 there was limited information on mental health for both adults and children. Mental health issues were never really discussed either.

I went through life, from Primary school into Secondary school and life in general, displaying the same behaviour. Primary School was fine as it was structured the same every day. The classroom and teacher were the same for the year but only changed each year.

My family accepted my daydreamy behaviour and lack of focus as if it was just me, a part of whom I was. I had friends in school and very happy. I loved sport especially running, volleyball, hockey and bat tennis. I loved art class and realized I had a creative flair.

When I got to High School, I found things changed and were more challenging. I found it difficult to understand and keep to the daily school timetable and find my classes, as we were in different rooms for each subject. Of course, “homework” was new to me. Plus understanding the homework tasks for each subject, completing them and handing them in on time was a nightmare. I recall, always feeling left behind and hoping at the beginning of every term, things would improve, and I can start afresh and handle everything. “But after a few days, that motivation dwindled as fast as it arrived. Ready with eagerness and gusto to start or try a new project or subject, but to later find my interest, motivation and underlying difficulty with attention in class all made it “too difficult and overwhelming.”

Stay tuned for the next part of “Reflecting Back…” which will be posted soon….