Comments on: Growing up is hard http://www.deannascorner.com/2006/09/26/growing-up-is-hard/ I'm over here... Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:58:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: MIM http://www.deannascorner.com/2006/09/26/growing-up-is-hard/#comment-683 MIM Thu, 28 Sep 2006 03:20:12 +0000 http://www.deannascorner.com/2006/09/26/growing-up-is-hard/#comment-683 Deanna, that is such a sweet, yet sad story. I could just feel Munchkin's frustration. This is such a good example of pressure that kids put on themselves. We don't need to add to that pressure. We need to help them with it. Munchkin's fortunate to have such a thoughtful mother. Deanna, that is such a sweet, yet sad story. I could just feel Munchkin’s frustration. This is such a good example of pressure that kids put on themselves. We don’t need to add to that pressure. We need to help them with it.

Munchkin’s fortunate to have such a thoughtful mother.

]]> By: Little Cousin's Mommy http://www.deannascorner.com/2006/09/26/growing-up-is-hard/#comment-676 Little Cousin's Mommy Tue, 26 Sep 2006 14:11:12 +0000 http://www.deannascorner.com/2006/09/26/growing-up-is-hard/#comment-676 Oh, poor sweetie. Give her an extra hug from me. I saw a dateline, 20/20 or something akin to it have a segment on parents "cultivating their children's natural potential." These parents go on and on how little Sophia has "star quality" and they would never want to hold her back from achieving her goals. So, little Sophia spends ten hours a week in a Broadway Musical class (I am NOT making that up, that class really exists). But these obsessive parents don’t stop there, these kids have school, horseback riding lessons, piano lessons, basketball practice, and the list goes on. These parents are overloading their children and robbing them of their childhood. The children will grow up to be burnt-out, immature, arrogant pinheads of adults who cannot function in society because they were raised in their parents’ manufactured world where they are, or have to be, the best in everything. Wanting your child to excel is one thing and it is wise to help him/her in any area of weakness, putting him/her in a couple programs that you think he/she will enjoy is one thing, but you have to know when enough is enough. Little Cousin loves to dance, so I may put her in a dance class someday, but purely for fun and to make friends, not because I think she could be a star or I want my comfort in old age secured by her good income. If she decides she doesn’t like it anymore, she can stop (after attending all the lessons we’ve paid for). It’s as simple at that. I want her to remember her childhood like Munchkin will: loving and fun, with a lot of good memories. Okay, I’m off my soapbox. Oh, poor sweetie. Give her an extra hug from me.

I saw a dateline, 20/20 or something akin to it have a segment on parents “cultivating their children’s natural potential.” These parents go on and on how little Sophia has “star quality” and they would never want to hold her back from achieving her goals. So, little Sophia spends ten hours a week in a Broadway Musical class (I am NOT making that up, that class really exists). But these obsessive parents don’t stop there, these kids have school, horseback riding lessons, piano lessons, basketball practice, and the list goes on. These parents are overloading their children and robbing them of their childhood. The children will grow up to be burnt-out, immature, arrogant pinheads of adults who cannot function in society because they were raised in their parents’ manufactured world where they are, or have to be, the best in everything.

Wanting your child to excel is one thing and it is wise to help him/her in any area of weakness, putting him/her in a couple programs that you think he/she will enjoy is one thing, but you have to know when enough is enough. Little Cousin loves to dance, so I may put her in a dance class someday, but purely for fun and to make friends, not because I think she could be a star or I want my comfort in old age secured by her good income. If she decides she doesn’t like it anymore, she can stop (after attending all the lessons we’ve paid for). It’s as simple at that. I want her to remember her childhood like Munchkin will: loving and fun, with a lot of good memories.

Okay, I’m off my soapbox.

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