| When my daughter entered full-time college at age | | | | then got to take a break, walk around campus, relax |
| 13 we heard all types of warnings from people about | | | | and get a snack .... on her own without teachers |
| how it was a shame that she would miss out on a | | | | scolding her not to talk .... without a hall pass. She got |
| "normal" childhood and wasn't it a shame that she | | | | to learn to make her own decisions and put her |
| would not be allowed to just "be a kid." The | | | | discipline into practice without a parent or teacher |
| comments did make me think about the situation we | | | | beating her over the head to do her work. It is, in |
| were entering and I did sometimes wonder if there | | | | my opinion, a great age to learn to be responsible for |
| would be any damage done once she got older. | | | | oneself. She also had the opportunity to gain the |
| However, I was convinced that what we were doing | | | | respect and respect people of all ages. Just as you |
| was the only option and so we moved forward. | | | | and I do not meet and greet people by sharing our |
| To date, it has been eight years since my daughter | | | | ages, neither did she. So she went through most of |
| entered college. She recently turned 21 and will | | | | her college life without many people knowing her age. |
| complete her Master's degree this Spring. I have since | | | | Of course, she would always tell them if they asked. |
| gone back to college for my third degree and have | | | | But most of the time they didn't. So she interacted |
| had the opportunity to talk to many people about | | | | just as any normal college student would. |
| the early college process. After all these years, I | | | | After hearing about the great success my daughter |
| asked my daughter if she had it to do over again, | | | | has had, most doubters at this point will inevitably |
| would she? I asked if she felt as if she missed out | | | | say "Well she was a special case then. Surely, she did |
| on anything by not going to high school. Her answer: | | | | not miss out on her childhood. But, other children who |
| Yes, she would do it again without any hesitation. | | | | have entered college probably did not have the same |
| And, no she does not feel as if she missed out on a | | | | experiences as your daughter." Watch my eyes roll. |
| "normal" childhood. To her, she did have a normal | | | | We do know other children who have entered |
| childhood. What prompted me to write this article | | | | college around the age of 12 and 13. I assure you, |
| was that one of my co-workers who has worked in | | | | they do not have three heads and their experiences |
| education for many years said "It's a shame your | | | | are quite similar. Yes, there is the occasional child who |
| daughter had to miss out on a normal childhood." | | | | did not have the wonderful experiences that my |
| Years later, after my daughter and I had already | | | | daughter and the others have had. I have seen a |
| determined that we had not only made a good | | | | few children who have been damaged by being |
| decisions, but that we had made the BEST decision | | | | home schooled or accelerated, but they are very |
| and would follow the exact same course again, I was | | | | few and very far between. |
| still hearing the same warning, the same "its such a | | | | Would I recommend early college for your child? I |
| shame." | | | | can only share that it was a great experience for us |
| One of the other accelerated kids was on TV | | | | and I know of others who have had great |
| recently and I heard a reporter say the same thing. | | | | experiences too. Only you know your child. It is, |
| "Yes, she has accomplished a lot, but you have to | | | | indeed, a huge leap for a 13 year old to interact with |
| wonder. What about her childhood?" I just shake my | | | | college aged students and professors. In my |
| head when I hear it now. I realized that the people | | | | experience, only very mature kids should attempt it. |
| who are usually saying it have never even met an | | | | There are a lot of mature kids out there. I've met |
| accelerated child. They've never been exposed to | | | | many kids who I feel would do very well in the |
| that world at all... So, they really are irresponsibly | | | | college environment. However, each kid is different |
| giving their "expert" opinion on things that they know | | | | and the most important thing in contemplating early |
| absolutely nothing about. | | | | college is that your child needs to be on board with |
| I can say that my daughter did miss out on some | | | | the amount of dedication it takes to be a success in |
| things by not going to high school. She missed out on | | | | college. He or she needs to be willing to put in the |
| being exposed to drugs and alcohol. She missed out | | | | long hours of studying and meet deadlines. He or she |
| on being exposed to other kids who don't take | | | | needs to be able to focus on a topic for a three |
| school seriously and who misbehave. She missed out | | | | hour period and be able to absorb the class time as |
| on cliques. She missed out on gang violence. She | | | | any college level student would. |
| missed out on sitting in a classroom, being told not to | | | | Ah, I hear the doubters now saying it is too much |
| talk from 8 to 2:45 every day. | | | | work for a young child to have to do. Sorry, wrong |
| My daughter's childhood was filled with after school | | | | again. When compared to the nonsense work that |
| activities. She was on the soccer team with kids her | | | | kids in high school have to do, it comes out to the |
| own age. They practiced three to four days a week. | | | | same amount of work. The difference is that the |
| She was in dance class three to four days a week. | | | | college work must be formatted and presented in a |
| She took art. She was in the band. She went to | | | | more professional and polished manner than the high |
| summer camp. All with kids her own age. She talked | | | | school work. College students get to take breaks and |
| on the computer, had friends over and always had | | | | have a few days to complete assignments. High |
| loads of kids over for birthday parties. She was a | | | | School kids usually have homework assigned that day |
| founding member of the Police Explorers in our town | | | | and due the next day. I think that is much more |
| where she interacted with lots of kids every week | | | | pressure to have to deal with. College students also |
| and throughout the summer. She knocked on doors | | | | get a syllabus of the entire semesters' work so that |
| for Halloween and participated in Christmas parties. I | | | | they can schedule their time properly. I very rarely, |
| would like to know what people think she was | | | | almost never, see that kind of forethought and |
| missing after all of those activities. She also lived on a | | | | planning in a high school situation. |
| college campus for two years, so she did not miss | | | | If we had the choice to do it over, we'd both do it |
| out on college life. What is it that other kids do, that | | | | again. As a matter of fact, we both say "Thank |
| my daughter was not doing? | | | | goodness that we had the guts to do it in the first |
| Here is what she gained that, sadly, other kids are | | | | place." So, next time you hear about a young child |
| missing out on. She gained six years of freedom in | | | | entering college, I hope you remember this article |
| life. She is now 21 and doesn't have to sit in a | | | | before offering advice or passing judgment. Does it |
| classroom for half of her early twenties in order to | | | | take a lot of work? Yes, it takes the dedication, |
| finish her degree. She was never stuck sitting in a | | | | support and efforts of the entire family. There are |
| classroom from the early hours of morning to the | | | | bumps along the way, but the entire process can be |
| afternoon. She sat in a classroom for three hours and | | | | and has been very rewarding. |