Tuesday, March 17, 2015

The poker game of parenting

Lately I've been feeling like parenting is a poker game.

P1: I'll see your child at the Opera House and raise you a trip to Fiji.
P2: I'll see your trip to Fiji and raise you are trip to the US.
P3: I'll see your trip to the US and raise you a trip to Europe.
Me: I'll fold.

If we don't wind back we'll be expecting children to go to the moon before they leave school.

The whole business (and it is a business, in fact lots of businesses, based on parental Fear of Children Missing Out) spirals upwards, and every turn of the screw (to mix my metaphors) is more pressure on families, whether it be their finances (working extra shifts, taking out loans), their time (driving kids around, not spending time together) and adding to the stress of modern life.

Pace yourselves, parents. Play the long game.

1 comment:

animations said...

How very true your comments are regarding what once was education!! To educate used to mean - to discipline, and learning was an enrichment! Today it is all about ticking the boxes for soeed of delivery, hence all just a business!