Are children over-scheduled?

Thank goodness I wasn't brought up in Japan under such conditions...

I think parents that push their kids real hard when they're young are creating a time bomb. In almost all cases I've witnessed, these early high achievers end up imploding at some point later in life... Too many examples come to mind...

I remember when a teacher asked if I would join the track team, and I was like, "What? Cut into my nap and video game/hanging out time? No thanks...!"

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jared2 @ Jun 12 2006, 12:02 PM) [snapback]269939[/snapback]</div>

Yeah, but "why?", and "for what?", are the REAL questions...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jared2 @ Jun 12 2006, 12:11 PM) [snapback]269942[/snapback]</div>

My question isn't how much is too, much, but rather why?


no, beyond that, why? intelligence is a pretty nebulous concept, and the ability to compete? have you ever asked yourself why? What does it mean to be successful? A *large* salary? The ability to sustain yourself on a most basic level? What cracks me up, is when I see parents pushing for the *success* of their child, which is totally fine, of course, with, ultimately, no real substantive reasoning other than to be "successful", whatever that might mean, typically, it's in terms of the "American Dream", nice house, kids, cars, money, to be patted on the head, and told you're smart, the envy of your peers, etc., etc., etc... ...and should the child ever attain this arbitrary measure of "success", then what? What's the ultimate point? Yes, I'm a freshman in highschool taking a differential equations course, I'm at the top of my class, my salary will be 450K a year, I'll live well and entertain myself until the grave...

 

Right on MysterySquid.

There are some kids, my daughter included, that just want to have childhoods. I know that my parents never pushed me to do stuff (there really wasn’t much to do back in the sixty’s) but yet I still received high-grades throughout my school years. I have the potential to make much more money than I do, but at what cost? A sixty-hour work week? Hell no! I’d rather have fun and relax while I can. I may not retire wealthy but I sure as hell will have few regrets.

On the other hand, I know parents whose kids WANT to be over-scheduled with 1) dance class four nights a week, 2) scouting, 3) martial arts. If they can handle the workload, and aren’t too stressed about it, then what the heck.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jared2 @ Jun 12 2006, 12:47 PM) [snapback]269970[/snapback]</div>

This is YOUR life baby, you've only got ONE shot at it, to not stop and give significant, meaningful thought to such things is to risk wasting your life by, perhaps, even more disturbingly, your own standards... To "gloss" over it becuase of "fashion" is oh so vain (pun intended :lol: )... ...at your expense, as vanity usually is... So please, go ahead and don't address what might be the most important thought process of your life, and end up, *smug* in the box... PA-THUMP! (sound of body tossed into empty pine box)... h34r:

This sort of thing should be part of the educational curriculum, where, I'm not sure, but somewhere between late grade school and high school graduation...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jared2 @ Jun 12 2006, 12:02 PM) [snapback]269939[/snapback]</div>

I just use the treble clef twice, or better yet, pry off all of those darn black keys. It's much easier then.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jared2 @ Jun 12 2006, 10:03 AM) [snapback]269979[/snapback]</div>

Sure . . .
When you are going to wholesale plagiarize a story, you could, at the very least, give a link to credit to the source.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5060848.stm

Use of bbc.co.uk
3.You may not copy, reproduce, republish, download, post, broadcast, transmit, make available to the public, or otherwise use bbc.co.uk content in any way except for your own personal, non-commercial use. You also agree not to adapt, alter or create a derivative work from any bbc.co.uk content except for your own personal, non-commercial use. Any other use of bbc.co.uk content requires the prior written permission of the BBC.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/terms/

 

My son is involved in music lessons, jazz band, music camp etc... he practices on his own at home, I never have to remind him, he's good. But what he looks forward to are the days when he can just hang out, go outside and play, play on the computer, PSP, etc....

I think we sometimes push our kids too much. They only have one real chance at childhood (not really, I'm still a kid, and I'm in my 40's), let them be kids and let them be the guide. Childhood is great, college is the best time of all! but being an adult sometimes sucks.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Jun 12 2006, 01:50 PM) [snapback]270005[/snapback]</div>

:lol:



Sorry jared, sometimes I just can't help myself...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Jun 12 2006, 01:50 PM) [snapback]270005[/snapback]</div>

:lol:



Sorry jared, sometimes I just can't help myself...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jared2 @ Jun 12 2006, 11:07 AM) [snapback]270015[/snapback]</div>

But it is hardly plagarism -
I agree, it's plagiarism.

I never implied that I wrote the story.
No, you only posted it under your username and didn't credit the author/source.

And I am not seeking to profit in any way.
Stealing something and placing it in someone else's house does not absolve you of the crime . . because you are not seeking a profit. PriusChat is a commercial site and profits from your plagiarism.

It is just a story, up for discussion. Every writer wants to be read and discussed.
And those writers/sources wish to be credited and/or make a profit from their work.

Or do you want to lock me up?
Not up to me. I am only the accuser, not the judge and jury. (that would be danny and the moderators . . . or the BBC. )

As I say, I will post links in future.
Will that be a first? :huh: You should start by revising your OP and posting a link there.

Now what do you think about the story, if anything?
I think it was plagiarized, but I had heard it before. Like when several years ago Japan forced a one time unstructured recess period on the school children. Many of the students stood around dumbfounded not knowing what to do . . . others just did school work in order to get ahead. They did not know how to spontaneously play . . . structured play they could do, but when asked to do by themselves in an unstructured environment, they could not function. - And some people wonder why Japanese auto manufacturers have design studios in Southern California and in other countries.

 

My son is one of those who wants to do MORE MORE MORE. I limit him to 3 afterschool activities period. They can take up no more than 4 weeknights and one weekend day per week. He manages to get his homework done and practice those activities he enjoys the most. Frankly I find his schedule more wearing than he does. I wouldn't allow him to do so much if other kids were available to play with him. Unfortunately most are involved in lots of activities which ties up their after school time or else I hear "he isn't an appropriate age to play with my kid" (interesting since when I grew up you just played with whoever was in the neighborhood regardless of age, sex, color, religion, or anything else) I even got told off for just showing up at one of his friends house one day without calling first. "What do you want?" "Why did you just come over?" "Did you think you can be more considerate in the future?" Heck, I used to just knock on my friends door, if they weren't home I'd go elsewhere. I still have a hard time with why it is rude for my son to go to a friends house to ask if they can play.