Start prepping ... NOW

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are some around "these parts" who seem to imply that prepping kids for tests is unethical.

Additionally, it seems that there are some who believe that having kids "work" is somehow mentally/emotionally damaging and that Tiger parents are somehow abusing their children.

Not sure why they get all up in arms about what other families are doing. I suppose maybe they think that these families are stealing their AAP spots???

I suppose it puts pressure on them. It likely makes them feel like they are falling behind. They think that if only "Tiger Moms" would stop putting such a premium on academic excellence, they wouldn't feel stressed or guilty about not putting in the effort. If they really bought their own philosophy (let kids be kids, enjoy youth, etc) then they would happily go on with their own lives without going into a rage about what other parents are doing. Its certainly not out of concern for "Tiger Moms" kids - they know that these kids are NOT miserable, abused little robots. Its desperation they are living in a highly educated, highly competitive area and they feel like they can't keep up. Keep your chins up, Tiger Moms and Kitty Moms alike. We're in it together. Parenting is tough and we're all doing the best we can.

[Anonymous]

Oh. That's interesting. Would these parents wish to regulate (or put a limit on ) how much prepping a kid does or how much time a kid studies, reads a book or does math worksheets? Better yet, to ensure their kids makes the neighborhood swim team -- a new regulation on how many laps a youngster swims, or how much time the youngster trains or how many outside coaching sessions a youngster gets? Then all is fair and ethical. The playing field is now level. By the way, they might as well legislate how much money (an assets) a family carries to level this playing field?

I am quite surprised by the high level of education these NOVA parents sport? ... A high ability to think critically? That's what AAP is all about? I was brainwashed in my AP American History classes of yesteryear that America's greatness was in large part due to free enterprise and open and free competition. Are these parents advocating for a socialist state? Do they know their own history or do they need a prep class for this too?

[Anonymous]

Hey, how about a limit on how much TV watching, video game playing, and face booking? Oops, these must be the fun activities? Perhaps, these crazies can lobby the College Board, AP exam authorities, ACT, ERB and State examining boards to overall their exams to include TV watching, video games and elements of social media then our kids can claim a superb education with bigtime prep and prepping. This would solve the problem for these parents' masquerade of their abject inadequacies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why can't you people be happy and proud of the children you have??? This makes me sad and drives me nuts.

Let your kids live full and enriching lives and get to fully experience and enjoy their youth!

Remember, colleges want well-ROUNDED kids... not eggheads with numbers spewing forth.

Even Steve Jobs had a lowly job picking apples -- basically goofing around in his youth -- which let his mind mature. And later he came into his own, and thus attributing his success to those glory days of youth -- naming his company Apple...

We need to grow the next generation of LEADERS, not ROBOTS. Be a parent, not a sheep.

We ARE happy and we ARE proud. What you define as "full", "enriching", and "well-rounded" is NOT the same as everyone else's definition. Because we are NOT robots. or sheep. Get it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey, how about a limit on how much TV watching, video game playing, and face booking? Oops, these must be the fun activities? Perhaps, these crazies can lobby the College Board, AP exam authorities, ACT, ERB and State examining boards to overall their exams to include TV watching, video games and elements of social media then our kids can claim a superb education with bigtime prep and prepping. This would solve the problem for these parents' masquerade of their abject inadequacies.

People need to start limiting their DCUM surfing... starting with ME!

[Anonymous]

I agree. Children should not be allowed to DCUM surf. It's not a healthy pasttime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Children should not be allowed to DCUM surf. It's not a healthy pasttime.

Nice one!

[Anonymous]

what if your DC became bored or worst disruptive in class due to all the prepping? are you going to blame the teacher or yourself?

[Anonymous]

No, I will neither blame the teacher nor myself. I work with the school and teacher and child to find the appropriate challenge he or she needs in the classroom if boredom creeps in. We have done this with both our children and successfully introduced other curricular options (e.g., advance reading and writing exercises, online computer subjects in the classroom) and substitutions that the school and teacher have welcomed when a child's education strategy is a team approach It's not about the "blame" game or retarding, slowing down, and dumbing down a child in order to fit into the teaching curriculum of a particular class or performance level of peers. When the children were swimming and running much faster than their peers at 5 years of age I didn't blame myself or the Coach. I didn't ask them to slow down. We worked with their coaches to find the best challenges which sometimes including playing with older and bigger kids for the challenge. This is not rocket science.

[Anonymous]

The specific area of concern is test prepping. Where kids essentially learn how to take the single test. For example, give a kid the same test three times, and a smart kid will do better the third time.

[Anonymous]

what if your DC became bored or worst disruptive in class due to all the prepping? are you going to blame the teacher or yourself?

My child reads one or two novels a week for the last 3 years. Yes, traditional classrooms are boring since he is obviously performing (reading, writing and arithmatic) at a much higher level than his 10-yr-old age group peers.

Why on earth would any sane parent blame themselves or teacher for this fortuitous state of affairs? And if the classroom and teacher can't keep up with the child it sounds like you need to get togather with his teacher and the principal to solve the issue.

Longstanding voluminous reading will PREP a child bigtime for all the rigors of your AAP but I would never tell my child to slow down in order to allow his teacher to catch up and keep up with him or her!

I would keep on prepping my child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

what if your DC became bored or worst disruptive in class due to all the prepping? are you going to blame the teacher or yourself?

My child reads one or two novels a week for the last 3 years. Yes, traditional classrooms are boring since he is obviously performing (reading, writing and arithmatic) at a much higher level than his 10-yr-old age group peers.

Why on earth would any sane parent blame themselves or teacher for this fortuitous state of affairs? And if the classroom and teacher can't keep up with the child it sounds like you need to get togather with his teacher and the principal to solve the issue.

Longstanding voluminous reading will PREP a child bigtime for all the rigors of your AAP but I would never tell my child to slow down in order to allow his teacher to catch up and keep up with him or her!

I would keep on prepping my child.

HUH?

[Anonymous]

The specific area of concern is test prepping. Where kids essentially learn how to take the single test. For example, give a kid the same test three times, and a smart kid will do better the third time.

For example, are you suggesting that kids only take the admission entrance SAT once when they apply to College? How many times do you recommend? Will you ban 6th, 7th, and 8th graders around the country that take the ACT and SAT exams for CTY, NUMATS and DUKE TIP talent search and then again in 11th and 12th gerades when they apply to college? Some of these kids have taken the exam between 3 and 6 times before it counts for the IVY college sweepstakes. What's you view on this. Ban talent searches? Police the number of times a child takes the SAT or ACT between 4th and 12th grades?

[Anonymous]

The specific area of concern is test prepping. Where kids essentially learn how to take the single test. For example, give a kid the same test three times, and a smart kid will do better the third time.

This happens all over the country and the world today ... and even when you were a kid and taking tests. You have a short-term memory and will not admit it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The specific area of concern is test prepping. Where kids essentially learn how to take the single test. For example, give a kid the same test three times, and a smart kid will do better the third time.

For example, are you suggesting that kids only take the admission entrance SAT once when they apply to College? How many times do you recommend? Will you ban 6th, 7th, and 8th graders around the country that take the ACT and SAT exams for CTY, NUMATS and DUKE TIP talent search and then again in 11th and 12th gerades when they apply to college? Some of these kids have taken the exam between 3 and 6 times before it counts for the IVY college sweepstakes. What's you view on this. Ban talent searches? Police the number of times a child takes the SAT or ACT between 4th and 12th grades?

No... I am just stating a fact.