one of 'those' kids

When I was growing up there were always one or two of those kids, you know the kind, the kind that made it all look easy.  They didn't seem to have to try to get great grades.  They picked up every sport they tried without effort.  They always looked good and seemed to have endless supplies of confidence (even during puberty...yikes).  They always seemed to have something witty to say and were able to flow in and out of social settings with ease.  While I'm sure that not all was as rosy as it looked from the outside, it was quite a sight to behold as a child.

Well, now here I am, with children of my own.  Who would have thought...I have one of those kids.

Where did he get this level of awesome?  I have no idea.  Clearly not from me or his dad.

And now that I live with one of 'those kids' every day, I can attest to the fact that it is not all rosy.

School is too easy, we worry about boredom and have met with teachers to try to increase the challenge for him.  I (as a preschool teacher myself) can totally understand the difficulty of trying to challenge one child more, while still teaching a whole classroom.  At this point, we haven't found a solution to keep him challenged in school.  So, as his mom, I worry about boredom.  I worry that at some point he will 'check out' or stop trying.

Sports come naturally, but there is always someone better, someone stronger, someone faster.  When you become accustomed to winning, it can be a hard pill to swallow when you actually lose (which we all do).

Being the life of the party comes with its own set of expectations and responsibilities.  When you are a child it can be difficult to cope with this.  Too many friends knocking on the door to play.  Too many invites and playdates.  And once adolescence comes, you just hope your child will use this strange power for good instead of evil.

Even the big kids want to hang out with him.  I'm not sure this one needs a whole lot more explanation.

Maybe this sounds like a lot of blubbering about first world problems.
 
"Oh shit, my son is too cool!"

And maybe it is.  But I've seen the other side too.  I've been with the chid who cries because they just don't understand the homework.  Talked them through kids being mean, and hurtful, for stupid reasons.  Wiped the tears when the birthday party invite didn't come.

And I can't say that one is easier than the other.  They are just different.

And often times, both leave me wondering what I should do...