They say that we are better educated than our parents’ generation.
What they mean is that we go to school longer.
It is not the same thing.
-Richard Yates
We’re counting down the last few days until the start of the new school year, and already Jake and his father are haggling over grades and rewards/punishments.
I still maintain that the most “important” lessons kids learn in the school system is how to sit down and shut up, how to regurgitate facts, how to live by a bell. That’s not education, that’s indoctrination. I fear for this generation when they grow up. Who will be the fearless leaders, the free thinkers?
Is all this pressure and stress we put on our kids to excel in a flawed system really necessary? Is it worth it in the long run?
Success in life is not measured by a report card. Long-term happiness is not determined by a pop-quiz grade.
Education doesn’t always happen in front of a blackboard.
The infographic below is based on a survey of college freshman, but teaching kids good stress-relieving habits now will help them later:
- Give your kids time to be kids. Schedule it in if you have to, it’s important.
- Encourage them to ask for help when they need it. Be there to support them.
- Make sure they get time for exercise, free play, and the things they love to do.
- Feed them well. Let them sleep.
- Make sure they understand that 1-4 are priorities, not luxuries. You need them.
How do you help your kids ward off stress?
Are you modeling good habits yourself?
Created by: Online College Classes
