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[…] Kids Who Feel Useful Are Happier as Adults | Penelope Trunk Homeschooling […]
I agree with # 2 and # 3. #1 I think is for kids who have trouble with school. For those who excel in school, I think a false sense of expectation for a follow-on of future success in a world which is nothing like school can be just as damaging.
This is very true!
I was so good in school with the good grades, driven for assignments, etc. But that doesn’t necessarily translate into success in “the real world.”
It was so sad that every time I got told to continue to work hard in school and that’d get me into a good job later.
Not everything was lost because I was able to translate my drive and discipline into things that I needed to be good at my job, etc. But it was very difficult.
hey, I agree with this to a point, I was quite good in school yet never enjoyed it much, especially as my maths teacher kept going on about how bad my writing was (despite me trying as hard as i could) but other issues came into it too, and so i was depressed on school days for most of the year until i quit school and decided i’d go to tafe later and do year 11 + 12
I stumbled upon the same conclusions in Paul Graham site:
http://www.paulgraham.com/nerds.html
Enjoy:)
My 12 year old daughter went to work two days ago for and with adults. Her work is artistic and when they hired her, they didn’t know she is 12. They probably still don’t. They probably assume she is more like 14. She impressed everyone, made $70, and got a referral for another job.
In the aftermath, I’m watching her self esteem and confidence skyrocket.
http://peerieflooers.blogspot.com/2012/08/dear-girl-worked-for-herself-last-night.html
I really liked the post you linked to. Thanks. You describe those moments when we are teetering between giving kids independence and influencing them to use the independence in a way we like.
Penelope
I would also tag this post as “fitting in is good” because really that’s the goal after contributing and making yourself useful. I went to school but it didn’t make me feel worthless so I can’t get behind #1. I think it’s because I had really great parents … even though there were times it didn’t seem so. Which is to say – I didn’t always get my way. My brothers, sister, and myself were expected to do chores and contribute around the house. Otherwise, my father would say something like – do you want to eat tonight? or do you want me to take you to wherever? or do you want your allowance this week? You know what I mean – he really made us feel like we were needed and belonged. :)
hey, just reading this article, and I found it quite interesting, although I dont believe in evolution (an arguement for another time and another place and I feel the word evolved was meant to be used in a different way than that humans evolved, more to be like the human behavioural and psychological process developed) I do feel point #1 is SO true, especially as I have just dropped school half-way through year 11 and this was due to me feeling depressed so often (however only on school days) that all i wanted to do was sleep (again, only on school days) so I talked to a bunch of people who agreed i should leave school, including a friend who left for the same reason (the root cause he admitted was feeling useless and being seen as stupid and worthless) and I belive part of my root cause of being depressed with school was probably more feeling useless and like a baby, so yes I do agree with point 1 especially but the whole article – very interesting
thank you