“Do not ask your children to strive”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think PPs are missing the point. Every minute these kids are doing Kumon or RSM or whatever is a minute they are not allowed to just *be*

Wrong. Putting your kids in RSM and Kumon is good for them. That (and a part time job at McDonalds) is how they build a work ethic, grit, and resilience.

The indulgent American parents who let their kids stop striving and “enjoy tomatoes” will regret not pushing them.

Kumon is terrible. Temporary fake gains on arbitrary mechanical tasks. My friend "did calculus" in Kumon in elementary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Do not ask your children to strive,” by William Martin

Do not ask your children
to strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable,
but it is the way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples and pears.
Show them how to cry
when pets and people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself.

This thread is missing the point. Let's try again.

"If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea."

-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

[Anonymous]

The point is that you should inspire your kids, not drive them.

[Anonymous]

For everyone hating average people -- is a society where most people are losers, is that a good place to exist? Only if you are evil.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Do not ask your children to strive,” by William Martin

Do not ask your children
to strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable,
but it is the way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples and pears.
Show them how to cry
when pets and people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself.

This thread is missing the point. Let's try again.

"If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea."

-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

This is like all the women who yearn for a great husband but never leave their house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Do not ask your children to strive,” by William Martin

Do not ask your children
to strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable,
but it is the way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples and pears.
Show them how to cry
when pets and people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself.

I want to show my kids the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples, and pears, so I will yearn for them to magically appear in my backyard that I don’t have because we live in an apartment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Do not ask your children to strive,” by William Martin

Do not ask your children
to strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable,
but it is the way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples and pears.
Show them how to cry
when pets and people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself.

I want to show my kids the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples, and pears, so I will yearn for them to magically appear in my backyard that I don’t have because we live in an apartment.

You get it. Lower/middle class kids have to strive.

[Anonymous]

Did a White man write this poem? Well, his privilege is showing. He needs to stop Whitesplaining life to non/Whites, take care of his family, treat women better and add some spice to his food!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This poem is the mating call of the modern loser. Nothing wrong with hard work and striving to be the best at what you do. What garbage.

I agree

[Anonymous]

Yeah, you'll have a lot of time on your hands to appreciate the magic of nature when you're food-insecure and housing-insecure.

Life is about balance, sure. But for those who don't come from privilege, striving is surviving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did a White man write this poem? Well, his privilege is showing. He needs to stop Whitesplaining life to non/Whites, take care of his family, treat women better and add some spice to his food!!

There really should be more poetry advice about adding spice to food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ And isolating them in an artificial society damages their ability to relate to the general population. (And no, I am not experiencing sour grapes. My kids are too young for AAP)

To me “an artificial society is a homeschooling not AAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ And isolating them in an artificial society damages their ability to relate to the general population. (And no, I am not experiencing sour grapes. My kids are too young for AAP)

To me “an artificial society is a homeschooling not AAP.

I don't know, AAP (or any school) is an artificially age-selected population, unlike the real world which has all kinds of people of all ages.

[Anonymous]

Wish I could asked my DC to strive, because my kid is just an average kid. DC is doing Algebra 1 in 8th grade. Now we are not even thinking to apply top 20 colleges. Can't ask my 14 year old to strive now. Its too late. Their mental health is important too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wish I could asked my DC to strive, because my kid is just an average kid. DC is doing Algebra 1 in 8th grade. Now we are not even thinking to apply top 20 colleges. Can't ask my 14 year old to strive now. Its too late. Their mental health is important too.

In math, earning A's in Alg 1 in 8th is above average. It is a college bound track (abov average).

"Top 20" colleges are far, far above average.

UMD is above average, and the population of about five "Top 20" colleges combined.

MCPS attracts highly talented people.