Children and success
One of the false myths that zips around suburbia is that our children have to be successful and that it is up to us to enter them in every possible program so that they will succeed. The reason that this is false is that parents tend to define what is meant by success and children have very little say in the matter.
Parents, often from a disadvantaged background, will say “I want my child to have all the opportunities that I never had.” Then they load on the head of their children karate, piano, dance, tennis, swimming, voice, sailing, and everything else they missed out on. Such pressure put on children is less about the child’s need and far more about the parents need to be a “successful” parents.
Bright children can do anything, but they do not have to do everything. What needs to happen is for the parents to relate individually to their children and discover where their interests lie. What are they interested in? What do they want to do? Perhaps they will stay with drawing, or piano and nothing else. Parents need to let their children have a variety of experiences, and if possible accompany them in the experience and let them discover what interests them. Children have their own lives to live and their own gifts to explore. Because of their own preconceptions, parents may be the worst people to tell children what they should do.
If parents can allow children to explore their own potential, they will often amaze themselves and others with their drive, interest and, frequently, talent.
That is what I think. What do you think?