Mindy our clever, funny, caring, creative daughter had the words experience year six, the year she would transition to high school.

The cruelty of her teacher is hard to believe even today. I'm sure she looks back with shame, but she could never undo the damage.

Our daughter went from having so many friends to having not one, her original friends too afraid of the teacher, to protect her.

High school was a disaster, and we ended up sending her to another school on the other side of the city, her request, and we weren't sure it would work.

She made good friends, and would have done well, but for me. I was the worst parent ever. I mean that.

What I thought was protectionism was pure dictatorship.

She wasn't happy.

I wasn't happy.

She started university, and gained the dean's award on two occasions. Still she dropped out.

She worked in a store for a while, then did the Public Service exam where she almost scored 100%...she should have...there were two errors on their scoring sheet. She answers were right.

On entering the Public Service she worked so hard to make her mark there and she did, obtaining a management level; by age 23.

Since then she has gone on to greener pastures, without a degree.

If only I could have stood back and allowed her to choose without judgement. I bitterly regret that.

Thanks for sharing such an uplifting story, an d for baring your soul.