This was at a Catholic school too I might add.
Had nothing to do with my parental upbringing. My Old Man was too absorbed in TV to give a shit about my schooling, My Old Lady was more concerned with my school reports, the cleanliness of my uniform, how neat my hair was and whether or not I was “swearing the Lord’s name in vain” to care about how I interacted with other kids. As long as I had friends, and was receiving invites to other kids birthdays she was comfortable. It was your typical Boomer parents latch-key attitude to our generation.
I guess when it came to myself, some kids have more empathy than others. My Old Lady absolutely forbade me to play any other sport besides cricket due to a medical condition, hence I couldn’t play Junior Rugby League when I was a kid and it made me believe that I was different. As a kid growing up in Western Sydney in the 80’s, not being allowed to play Junior League is devastating. I certainly have never been disabled, but that limitation on my life made me develop a sense of empathy and compassion for someone even less able than myself.