Our Kids Are Not in a Race

by ParentCo. March 30, 2016

The call came from my son's math teacher (I'll call her “Ms. W”). She wanted to discuss her recommendation for his freshman math class placement next year in high school.

I could hear the nervousness in her voice as she described her perception of his performance in her honors-level math class this year. “He's smart and very capable, and his test scores put him just above the line for a recommendation for Honors Geometry next year.” This was not news to me. My son had transitioned from elementary school to middle school fairly seamlessly, and was placed in honors-level math and language arts classes in 7th and 8th grade. He was earning all A's in his classes every marking period. Maybe an occasional B+ in science or math.

Math is the only subject my son has always described as the one he “hates.”

Although he's capable of learning every concept taught, it doesn't come naturally for him. He has to work hard in math to get A's and B's. It's the only subject that has, on many occasions, brought him to angry tears of frustration. He's told me that math simply makes him feel stupid. He is, by nature, a “creative.” He draws, he cartoons, he makes videos and he writes amazingly well. He will not be a doctor, a scientist or an engineer. Those professions, and others that require heavy hard science and math, just don't appeal to him. Ms. W continued on, “In 9th grade, the intensity really ramps up in honors math. I know he doesn't like math, although he works really hard at it. I would love to see him in a sitation where he's comfortably performing well and he feels really good about himself.”

When I instantly agreed with her recommendation, her sigh of relief was audible.

Bingo. It was a no brainer for me to agree with her recommendation that he be placed in the “academic” level geometry class next year. When I instantly agreed with her recommendation, her sigh of relief was audible. The tension in her voice evaporated. She had prepared herself for the inevitable parent pushback. The pushback that comes instinctively from a parent who fears their child is falling behind in the race. About my decision, she said, “That's so refreshing. Parents just don't do that in this town.” The following week, I told a group of my mom friends about my decision over coffee. One friend with a daughter in her junior year at our high school had an expression of shock on her face, and looked at me like I'd sprouted a second nose. She asked, “But aren't you worried he'll be a year behind?” I smiled as kindly as I could and said, “Behind what? It's not a race.” She's still not convinced. She thinks I'm closing a door of opportunity for my son. What is this fear that is driving parents to crack the whip behind their kids and push them until they crumble? How many news headlines about teens being exhausted, depressed and suicidal do we have to read before we get it?

This is not a race.

Parenting is an opportunity to raise happy, self-confident, well-adjusted human beings who understand they have strengths and gifts to offer the world, but that not everyone excels at everything. That's just life. Our job is to help them find their strengths and gifts, and to nurture those. To support them when they put effort into mastering areas in which they naturally excel. I talked with my son about the discussion I had with Ms. W and the decision I made. He feels really good (and relieved!) about it. He'll take honors-level English and Science and he'll audition for the a capella choir (he's a talented singer and it's something he really enjoys). He's looking forward to his freshman year. Many of his classmates are already nervous and worried that the academic pressure in high school will be too great. Sadly, for many of them, it will be.

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