Okay, so I'm flipping through channels last night and see that there's a program about people who are desperately trying to get their children into the right schools. Not colleges, mind you. Kindergarten (or was it preschool). Obviously, I've missed the memo on this one. Who knew that kids had to start at three, four and five if they were to amount to anything (or everything)?
This phenomenon is one that's been bugging me for a while. When I was a kid, we went to school, maybe played sports on a team, took a dance class or two, maybe a musical instrument (if our parents had the money.). After school we did our homework and (gasp)played. I remember hide and go seek at dusk, t.v tag, statue. We'd run around in the yard with the neighborhood kids while the moms sat on the front stoop chatting about life. Anymore, I don't see kids playing outside. They're too busy becoming super athletes, super academics, super dancers, gymnasts, musicians (pick your poison). Don't get me wrong. I don't think there's anything terrible about giving kids opportunities to explore interests and passions. I don't think there's anything wrong with pushing your kids to try their best. I'm just not sure kids need hours of private tutors, private lessons, extra help so they can be SUPER KIDS.
Bad enough we moms must be super moms. Now we've also got to produce superstar kids? What's that about? And why are we all buying into it?
Personally, I'm not. Buying it, that is. I want my kids to do their best, but that doesn't mean they have to be THE best.
Hmmmmm, maybe it's time to give up that supermom notion, too.
2 comments:
Our generation is so busy making ourselves busy and we're doing it to our kids too.
I told Tanner he could try several things last year and this year just to see what he wants to do, but then he needed to pick a couple things he enjoyed doing, be it sport or instrument, or some other art, and we'll do that, but I refuse to allow him to be in a dozen different things and never have just fun down time. It's nice for them to be well rounded, but it's also nice for them to have fond memories of their childhood and not just the time spent driving from one practice to another and eating the happy meals on the way.
You figure if our kids are in public schools and they're involved with church activities and they're in several sports, sheesh, that's just too much!
I'm shooting for one extra curicular activity each season. :-/ We'll see how that goes. ;)
Egads...could I give up being supermom with you?? Moral support and all that...LOL at your post and giving a resounding, "AMEN!"
Lynette
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