Only if your kid got into an Ivy in last 5 yrs. - how'd you do it?

[Anonymous]

Where's the humor?

[Anonymous]

Since when have Americans (even lusting, attending or graduating from Ivy) been known for good English diction, prose, syntax or grammar.

Ivy is all about football.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps, she doesn't like the term "package" and prefers another "rose-coloured" euphemism!

When you're recruited as an athlete -- you don't have to "package yourself" -- you just have to be a great athlete and be noticed by a coach. Sorry if your kid isn't good enough...they have time to practice at something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay, this is what I don't get. Why is it when the middle class student from TJ goes on to MIT, everyone clap clap claps. But mention a private school and all of a sudden the parents are horrible schemers? I take nothing away from the PP. Congratulations. But why does it suddenly become sinister if someone with slightly greater financial means acknowledges the same facts: that there are things that a child needs to do to get into a top university?

Maybe ecause it's a story about a kid who finds her passion and who is rewarded for working hard and being very good at what she does. Rather than a story about affluent parents whose desperation to perpetuate or enhance their social status leads them to live vicariously through their children to the potential detriment of both kid and parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine is already at an Ivy pp and she wasn't "packaged". She just did the things she loved to do and did them very well.

Yup, that's what worked for me. And what I'm telling my DC. And, hey, if you do the things you love and you do them very well, you aren't going to go far wrong regardless of whether you get into an Ivy. Either way you win.

[Anonymous]

What is parenting? Leave your 5-year-old on autopilot? Forget about exposure and driving them to sports, music, arts, playground (mud) and tutors? Sounds gross doesn't it? I suppose your progeny gravitate to activities naturally (pooping, crying, eating and sleeping)?

Don't deliberately misrepresent the argument. No one is arguing for no parenting, no rules, no guidance. What people think is disgusting is (1) the OP's awful original post and follow-ups, and (2) the idea of selecting your children's extracurriculars and public service based on what will get them into an Ivy League school, not what they are actually interested in.

"No, Timmy, I know you love it, but you can't play the piano. Everyone plays the piano. You have to play the accordion because that will make you really stand out to Yale."

"No, Sally, I know you want to run track, but everyone runs track. What will set you apart is if you become a boxer. You've seen Million Dollar Baby, right? Think you can do it? WELL YOU HAVE TO."

It's gross to treat getting into an Ivy League as the only acceptable victory, especially when that victory might come at the expense of your child's happiness and sense of self. If your child is smart enough to maybe end up at an Ivy League school, they are smart enough to realize if Mommy and Daddy don't love them for who they are, but for what they win.

[Anonymous]

Mine is already at an Ivy pp and she wasn't "packaged". She just did the things she loved to do and did them very well.

16:41 here again. Bravo, PP. That's what it's about. That's how it should be done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay, this is what I don't get. Why is it when the middle class student from TJ goes on to MIT, everyone clap clap claps. But mention a private school and all of a sudden the parents are horrible schemers? I take nothing away from the PP. Congratulations. But why does it suddenly become sinister if someone with slightly greater financial means acknowledges the same facts: that there are things that a child needs to do to get into a top university?

Maybe ecause it's a story about a kid who finds her passion and who is rewarded for working hard and being very good at what she does. Rather than a story about affluent parents whose desperation to perpetuate or enhance their social status leads them to live vicariously through their children to the potential detriment of both kid and parent.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Mine is already at an Ivy pp and she wasn't "packaged". She just did the things she loved to do and did them very well.

16:41 here again. Bravo, PP. That's what it's about. That's how it should be done.

Thank you. It is actually very easy when students do find their passion at a young age. What some of the snarks don't understand is a parent cannot force a child to "find a passion"....they have to find one on their own. Unfortunately, many people never find their passion in life. That contributes to mid-life crises and to some of the mean posters on these threads.

[Anonymous]

When you're recruited as an athlete -- you don't have to "package yourself" -- you just have to be a great athlete and be noticed by a coach. Sorry if your kid isn't good enough...they have time to practice at something.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

More bullshit. I guess you have not heard of all the carefully orchestrated packaging of adolescent athletes that span all the training camps, summer camps, Nike camps, travelling teams and squads even before they get to high school! Some of this packaging is year round for many of these multi-sport athletes. Don't forget those supplements parents?

This is packaging at it's height. I wonder what the coaches ask for when you naturally reveal yourself as an athlete? I wonder whether you've had a chance to review the athletic recruiting information requested by coaches at these schools?

Athletics in America is a bout big time packaging that starts in K lest the train leaves the station without your child.

[Anonymous]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I demand of my children engagement in what stimulates the 5 senses: e.g., art, music, numbers, reading, sports and languages. That's correct, whether the 3 and 7 year-old like it ... or not. It is a requirement in my household. Akin to dragging the kids to synagogue or church...whether they like it or not. I suspect that as the children get older, more mature and more independent their true interests and passions will declare themselves and they will start to specialize and/or focus on particular activities.

Even the Ivies like students with talents in art, music, sports, languages and academics, that's great if the kids choose to go.

[Anonymous]

I, too, select the extracurricular activities for my young children. I think the above activities are fine for young children.

[Anonymous]

OP, just make sure you have as little contact with the admissions offices as possible, and that your obessiveness doesn't rub off on your child (for whom I feel very sorry). You will probably doom your child's chances.

[Anonymous]

preachy, preachy, preachy...so many people here know nothing about what they are writing about. Your poor kids...that you have such ingrained/biased ideas.

[Anonymous]

preachy, preachy, preachy...so many people here know nothing about what they are writing about. Your poor kids...that you have such ingrained/biased ideas.

Too coy. On whose side do you fall: OP and the my-child-is-a-commodity faction, or the normal folks?