I changed schools in the 7th grade and was bullied relentlessly for two years until I went to high school. I had gone to uniform school for years and never thought about dressing to get attention. Suddenly I had to look cool on a KMart wardrobe. Those were some hard years. We had to force my low-income parents to buy us a polo shirt so my sister and I could take turns with it and gain favour with those assholes.

Luckily, I managed to channel the trauma of being the underdog into resolve. I studied pop culture and fashion obsessively in high school in order to stay on top of the cool kids. I swore I would not be ordinary and that someday I would be on top of the world doing cool and exciting things that would make my former tormenters see that they had me wrong.

For the most part I have achieved those goals. But now, as Nate grows up, I am fully aware of what may lie ahead. There is no way of knowing if your child will sink or swim in the school system. You think your kid is cool, but will other kids? And how do you step in without making matters worse? These are scary times for a parent.
