You do know there's kid's twelve and fourteen years old out there begging for food in the streets who are not able to get even a highschool education. Cello and soccer lessons are not the worst thing that could happen to a kid, ya know? I'm not trying to minimize your pain, brother, but I have read this site fir years and I don't see what anyone should find appalling. On one hand I do get what you're saying that parents are crazy when it comes down to it. My own mother would punish me if I got a "c" but my half sister was allowed to because "she's not as smart as I was". But now that we have kids my mom nags my sister for not working with my nephew because grandma insists the grandsons are equally smart. Even though that doesn't make sense, the kid's have different interest levels and personalities, and, finally, they're our kids to raise, not hers. She had her turn to raise her kids her way, now it's our turns. My own kid is more of a flea circus than a show poodle. Seriously, he just got a bicycle and he was instantly standing on the bar balncing on one foot and kicking neatly into the air with the other. Either way, 1) his dad and I agree to keep teaching him as much as he wants to keep learning. 2) to the best of my ability he will complete his education, then whatever he does after that will have been his choice and I will proudly support his decision. Even if he wants to be a surfer beach bum I will proudly point to him and say, "that is my son. He has earned his college degree. Now whatever he is doing with his life is because he chose to do it."
Anyway, I don't know if any of my feelings represent any part of what you were objecting to. You can hold onto some or all of those beliefs of yours when it comes time to raise your own children. There are people who raise their children grooming them for a certain life ;)and there are unschooling hippys who "let you be you and me be me", respecting even young children. I had believed when I was younger I would get my revenge on "the system" by having a dozen kids and raising them to think for themselves and turning them loose on the teachers in the public schools. Now I'm old and I have two kids and I don't want a dozen. It physically hurts and takes too long to make a baby. And I don't want to corrupt change the whole world like I used to. I just want to spend time and enjoy my family and entertain and educate my kids.
P.s. I feel like I've made some friends who "get me" here, which is something I find here and there, now and then. Though I do make all sorts of friends everywhere I go. Ain't it beautiful
