How to parent in hyper competitive type A area?

[Anonymous]

Everybody here seems to be so competitive. Everyone went to HYP, were D1 athletes and make a zillion dollars. Larlo and Larla their darling children are already being recruited by pre-MLS soccer teams at the tender age of 8 and are well on their way to being top notch athletes and top of their class.

How do you parent in this environment? I have 3 elementary aged kids and they are all doing great. They have friends, do pretty well at school, play sports and are fun to be around.

But sometimes being around these hyper competitive parents makes me take a closer look at my kids and wonder if I should push them more.

Should I push DD7 to make the premier team in travel soccer instead of the 2nd tier team? Do I even tell her she didn’t make the premier team and should practice more?

Should I be disappointed that DD9 didn’t get into AAP and will be in gen education?

DH and I both come from smaller more rural areas where we were top of our classes, played all the sports, went to well regarded SLAC colleges and are now making a pretty high salary (HHI $600-700k a year). These all seemed attainable where we lived with less competition. Here in the DMV it seems impossible for our kids to stand out. How do you parent in this sort of environment?

[Anonymous]

Jesus lord enough with this hyper competitive sh¡t. Those poor kids.

[Anonymous]

You could move.

[Anonymous]

It’s true many parents are shockingly competitive here. My kid is just not a compete type, l have accepted it. He’s fine.

[Anonymous]

You make more than 95% of the people here, and probably more than 90% of the people on DCUM.

So shut up. You're part of the problem.

[Anonymous]

Shrug. Just run your own race. Mind your own business. Don’t attempt to keep up with the Joneses.

There’s good reason why there are 101 platitudes about doing your own thing — because it’s excellent life advice. Try it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could move.

Op - moving is not an option. Our jobs are here.

I just want to try and find the balance between pushing my kids to excel and giving them space to enjoy their childhood. It seems like everyone around here does the first option to the detriment of the second.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You make more than 95% of the people here, and probably more than 90% of the people on DCUM.

So shut up. You're part of the problem.

+100. you can literally purchase credentials for your kids and buy them houses. get your head on straight.

[Anonymous]

Give your kids options as they grow: if you are willing to put it x hours of practice you could have a good chance of making y team. But it’s perfectly fine to practice less and stick with z team. Whichever would make you happier. Let them know they are in control of some of the choices to be made that will put them on one path or another, without pressuring them.

[Anonymous]

Move to a school that’s not full of rich white people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You make more than 95% of the people here, and probably more than 90% of the people on DCUM.

So shut up. You're part of the problem.

+100. you can literally purchase credentials for your kids and buy them houses. get your head on straight.

This. You don't need to worry about the competition anymore.

[Anonymous]

We live in S Arlington and people like this are the exception, not the rule.

[Anonymous]

Move

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You make more than 95% of the people here, and probably more than 90% of the people on DCUM.

So shut up. You're part of the problem.

Op - isn’t the hope that our kids do better than we do?

I know dh and I have done significantly better than our own parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You make more than 95% of the people here, and probably more than 90% of the people on DCUM.

So shut up. You're part of the problem.

This.
At HHI 700k, you should fit right in.