The Adults Who Saw Me by Laurie Faria Stolarz
For this month, we’re talking about feeling seen during our youth--by mentors, teachers, and adults--and also how we portray those figures i n our work. For me, the adults in my novels are typically absent. Or they're standing in the way. Or they misunderstand the young people in front of them. I've spent a lot of time wondering why I write adults that way. The answer, I think, begins with the kind of student I was. I spent much of my childhood trying not to stand out. I wasn't the loud kid, the funny kid, or the athlete. I wasn't the student teachers held up as an example. I never felt particularly smart, talented, or exceptional. Most of the time, I felt like I was barely keeping my head above water. Flying under the radar seemed safer than risking someone discovering I wasn't as capable as everyone else. ...
