Anyone else have a child that just doesn't seem equipped for the real world? Do you worry that they're going to be eaten alive on their first job, if anyone can actually get past the initial impression of "this child is different" and hire them?

My son has an interview tomorrow at an art and craft supply store. He applied to be a cashier or sales person but they want to interview him to teach a drawing or painting class. He'd have to plan the class and do a demonstration at the store to get people to sign up. His pay would be based on how many people take the class so the pay is iffy but what a great learning experience for a 17 year old! I hope he can make a good impression on this interview.

Oh great...now I've forgotten who initiated the netversation!

Your son is 17 - what a wonderful learning experience for him! Let him learn how to do this and he might find out he's a natural at sales. There's *nothing* like knowing that if you don't sell, you don't eat. It keeps a person sharp, it hones their skills, it's a great way to live. At least someone is seeing the boy's potential and asking him to take a chance on himself...and at 17! How wonderful...

I've a friend who is 27 and is still ho-de-do-ing around the country. She lacks an internship <meaning she does the work but doesn't get paid> in order to finish her B.A. and hasn't been able to find an internship in THREE YEARS! Come on!!! I saw how she dressed for her last interview and now I've got an inkling of what the problem might be. Or, maybe I just don't understand that people don't dress for interviews anymore??? Army fatigue pants which "sort of" hung on her hips, a skimpy spaghetti string top, no bra but I know she had on underpants because I could see them riding above her fatigue pants...I'm not picking on my friend but I'm saying has the work world changed all that much? Is this really an okay way to dress for an interview? BTW, she's a music therapy major, a 5 year degree from Loyola. Maybe that's what makes the difference...musicians are different?

I'm obviously, hopelessly out of touch!

Mary, I think it's awesome that they've asked him to teach. Anyone can ring a register. Seems to me they've already seen his gifts.

I wouldn't focus on the number of people who take his class, nor how much money he makes. I'd focus on the fact that he has a gift and can share it.

Teaching will give him tremendous confidence. When my daughter was in middle school she tutored a gal in math. She was doing it out of the goodness of her heart and when the school year was over, the gal's mom gave her a $100.00 American Express check. She was tickled. More than anything, the experience of knowing she could help someone did wonders for her self esteem. This is my daughter who has learning differences.

Please let us know what happens for your son.

Mary: This is indeed a great learning experience! I hope that he truly enjoys this opportunity and does his best sharing his knowledge.

Best of wishes and... Keep us posted!

Well, at least my son didn't get thrown out on his ear. When I asked how the interview went I got the very informative answer of "Good."

I sure hope he gets the chance to do this. It would help his self esteem and move him up a notch in the eyes of my husband and his family, who basically just think he's weird, which he is, but aren't all artists?

Even though he got all A's except for one B+ on his last report card, he's still seen as a lazy kid who'll never amount to anything. It doesn't seem fair to me.

In his biography, Picasso was a none trouble maker as a child and slacker as a young adult. So go figure. You son may be the next artistic genius just waiting to emerge. Personally, I'd tell him to "just have fun with it."

Passing judgement on children who are different drives me crazy!

My daughter attends a very small school for children with learning differences. The kids are different because they've had to battle the world of mean kids, impatient teachers, and sometimes unaccepting parents.

Why does everyone have to be a cookie cutter?

By the grace of God she was accepted to this school in sixth grade and it's heaven on earth for kids who learn differently.

The teachers get the fact that the kids aren't lazy or stupid. They embrace these kids, lift them up, and encourage them beyond belief.

I just saw a friend whose son left to go to another high school because they thought he was ready to transition. She's sorry they took him out because the teachers at the new school think he should be punished for his grades. They think he's lazy and doesn't want to learn. He doesn't feel accepted. They don't get the fact that all kids can't learn from a lecture! Don't get me started!

Some of the students at my daughter's school are geniuses, but just because they may not have perfect social skills, excell at everything, wear the right clothes (whatever they are), play 3 sports, blah, blah, blah...society looks down on them.

What a boring world this would be if everyone was the same!

I have two sons 18 and 16 and I think it is fairly normal to get a one word answer to a question! When I press for more the eldest tells me "It's all right, I've got everything under control" and I guess, well, I just have to accept that and trust that he knows what he is doing. Letting them take responsibility for their lives. He also is a quiet one and started working part-time this year and it has done a lot to develop his "life skills" that studying doesn't provide.

Julie, I'm all for kids getting jobs and spending time outside the home to develop other relationships. It's so important during the teen years. What type of work is your son doing?

Also, you metioned trust. I always tell my kids that I trust them, it's the rest of the world I don't trust.

I think my son has the job. Only he's starting out as a cashier. After he has a feel for the place, he can decide whether he wants to offer a painting class.

He's had so much trouble dealing with people in authority and following rules, I won't relax until he's been working there for a month. He always tells me that he knows it's different when you have a job, then you have to listen.

And I know getting and keeping a job are his responsibilities but it's hard to not worry. After all, I don't want to support him the rest of his life!