HS freshman boy - extracurriculars

[Anonymous]

I think he’s fine, though it’d be good for him to find something he can spin as “volunteering.” My kid is a sophomore and he’s in the midst of applying for a bunch of different things and every single application asks about volunteer experience.

Your kid doesn’t have to scour soup kitchens and shelters to get volunteer experience, he can probably find things at or through school—helping a department, tutoring, helping with events, and his school might have a community service club.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]He's thriving, except for the pressure his mother is putting on him to do more. Back off. He's doing plenty. A sport and an instrument is plenty. [/quote]

Yeah. He's doing just fine. I often think it's the kids like this who, in the long run, end up happier and more well adjusted than many of their peers who either are either doing far more or far less at this age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He plays soccer on a team, plays guitar in his spare time, and has a job lined up? And he’s working hard at school and getting good grades? I’m sorry, I don’t see any problem here.

100% agree. Stop worrying about the college rat race. There is a college for everyone if that's the path they want. Also, sometime extrovert parents need to back off their introvert kids and realize they will interact with the world in a different way that is just as acceptable. I'd consider whether that's part of your issue.

[Anonymous]

I started a thread a few days ago about whether MC and average people are happier than UMC people.

My son is a freshman, has straight As in all honors, plays three sports, joined a few clubs at school and it still doesn’t seem enough, which I know sounds ridiculous.

If it weren’t for the college rat race, your freshman son and my freshman son are doing great. They have friends, doing well in school and have interests. I would be more upset if he was playing video games all day. I have one of those too but he is also very smart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He's thriving, except for the pressure his mother is putting on him to do more. Back off. He's doing plenty. A sport and an instrument is plenty.

Teaching himself guitar=self-starter. Got a job- go read the adult children failure to launch posts and maybe you can relook at your son. What you did is not what he needs to do. What others are doing is not what he needs to do. Sounds to me like you have a really good kid. Enjoy it. Really enjoy it. No really, enjoy it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think he’s fine, though it’d be good for him to find something he can spin as “volunteering.” My kid is a sophomore and he’s in the midst of applying for a bunch of different things and every single application asks about volunteer experience.

Your kid doesn’t have to scour soup kitchens and shelters to get volunteer experience, he can probably find things at or through school—helping a department, tutoring, helping with events, and his school might have a community service club.

Fine, ask him if he will play guitar one time for elderly home or in church if you go and line item done and move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS got in everywhere he applied with only one EC activity plus summer jobs. He wrote his essays about his various jobs.

Without saying where he applied, this comment is meaningless.

That’s the problem with so many people in this area. This kid got in everywhere he applied so he hats hood FOR HIM. Why does everything need to be a competition? Why do your kids need to be in top 50 schools for it to “be worth it”? The parents are the ones causing the problems.

I’m an introvert and I w as need to come home after school to decompress. I needed to. I did one club that met once a month. This shouldn’t be considered a failure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He plays soccer on a team, plays guitar in his spare time, and has a job lined up? And he’s working hard at school and getting good grades? I’m sorry, I don’t see any problem here.

+1 - sounds like he’s doing great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS got in everywhere he applied with only one EC activity plus summer jobs. He wrote his essays about his various jobs.

Without saying where he applied, this comment is meaningless.

That’s the problem with so many people in this area. This kid got in everywhere he applied so he hats hood FOR HIM. Why does everything need to be a competition? Why do your kids need to be in top 50 schools for it to “be worth it”? The parents are the ones causing the problems.

I’m an introvert and I w as need to come home after school to decompress. I needed to. I did one club that met once a month. This shouldn’t be considered a failure.

Because without knowing the schools he applied to, OP can’t assess whether or not the anecdote is relevant. If it’s not relevant, why even comment?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS got in everywhere he applied with only one EC activity plus summer jobs. He wrote his essays about his various jobs.

Without saying where he applied, this comment is meaningless.

That’s the problem with so many people in this area. This kid got in everywhere he applied so he hats hood FOR HIM. Why does everything need to be a competition? Why do your kids need to be in top 50 schools for it to “be worth it”? The parents are the ones causing the problems.

I’m an introvert and I w as need to come home after school to decompress. I needed to. I did one club that met once a month. This shouldn’t be considered a failure.

Ok, where did you get accepted?

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]He's thriving, except for the pressure his mother is putting on him to do more. Back off. He's doing plenty. A sport and an instrument is plenty. [/quote]

Yeah. He's doing just fine. I often think it's the kids like this who, in the long run, end up happier and more well adjusted than many of their peers who either are either doing far more or far less at this age. [/quote]

+1
It sounds like he has a great balance. You said he has to work really hard for his grades well that doesn't leave a lot of time and space in their head for anything else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS got in everywhere he applied with only one EC activity plus summer jobs. He wrote his essays about his various jobs.

Without saying where he applied, this comment is meaningless.

That’s the problem with so many people in this area. This kid got in everywhere he applied so he hats hood FOR HIM. Why does everything need to be a competition? Why do your kids need to be in top 50 schools for it to “be worth it”? The parents are the ones causing the problems.

I’m an introvert and I w as need to come home after school to decompress. I needed to. I did one club that met once a month. This shouldn’t be considered a failure.

Sigh.

Why? - Life is competition; that’s why. You only get one shot.

Why T50? - b/c I don’t want my kids to be losers.

Problems? My kids are crushing it, no problem. If you want something different for your kids, fine; you do you.