I heard something recently that characterized the so-called Millenial Generation, those from elementary age up to recent college graduates, as more like their grandparents (The "Greatest Generation") than their Boomer parents. As an aging Boomer myself, this does my heart good. These kids have seen what a mess we have made of the world and are trying not to make the same mistakes that we did. The Millenial kids I know have big hearts and try hard to please.
The TV program that allerted me to all this said that this generation tends to be overscheduled in an effort to do it all and "be" it all. Fewer children per family puts more pressure on the kids that are there (and were often conceived later in life) to do everything they can to acheive.
I wonder, though, about those for whom traditional "excellence" does not come easy, or perhaps, at all. What about those in the Millenial Generation who struggle to keep up their grades, or can't fit in or afford the back-to-back, lessons-and-sports schedule so prevalent among their peers? How does one measure up in a generation where "all the kids are above average"?
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Good points. And you know at least one of my kids is NOT above average and struggles daily -- though she has an enormous heart. The other one is above average in intelligence, but socially is way below average. What's a mom to do? Her best to stay sane! Keep on moving on and love them (even when they are melting).
ReplyDeleteHow true! My hope for all "unique" kids is that they truly learn how precious uniqueness is and that we all don't have to fit into a pre-determined mold to be worth something.
ReplyDeletethey learn from us whether or not they are precious. I was "unique" grwing up and still am and no one invested in me, not in a way I could percieve. Now, my parents etc would disagree with that but all my ideas where shot down so by age 8 or so I learned never to have ideas, preferences. parents tend to invest in unique kids from the point of view as a parent but unique kids need to be invested in from a unique point of view....if they start to calm down and seem normal....they prob have shut down...get them around other unique adults ...who behave in unique ways...for a small fee I will...(just kidding about the fee)... but we gotta invest in unique people ..and do it in unique ways
ReplyDeleteI think kids have to be encouraged to make some of their own decisions when they are old enough. And, I think, to the chagrin of many parents, this might mean letting them decide if they want to take this or that lesson or be on this or that sports team. Putting a kid in a "box" so to speak, just doesn't do justice for those kids who, by nature, have a hard time fitting into that mold. They have to be encouraged that there are alternatives out there that are ok. But, I also think that parents have to resist the natural urge to do it for their kids, which is also part of the issue. I think some "unique" kids need to be allowed to follow their own path, as long as what they are doing doesn't hurt themselves or others.
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