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CATZ Blog
What’s wrong with wanting to go to Harvard? (Part I)
Posted by Jim Liston on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - 05:10 PM
For those of you who don’t know, CATZ was featured last night (10/30/2007) on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. The story focused on parents hiring “sports tutors” for their children, and asked the question, “Have we gone too far?”
If you did not see the story - you can view it by clicking the link below.
Video: NBC Nightly News - Sports Tutors For Kids
Of course, I firmly believe that sports in general and CATZ in particular are great activities for kids.
The opposing side of the NBC story was represented by noted child psychiatrist and author Alvin Rosenfeld. Dr. Rosenfeld took the stance that programs like CATZ are problematic in that they put added pressure on kids and serve to professionalize childhood.
I have read Dr. Rosenfeld’s work, including his book
Hyper-Parenting, and agree with many of his positions, which we will talk about in later posts. However, I must disagree with his contention that, “Every tenth grader knows what it takes to go to Harvard. There is something wrong with that.”
Since when did it become a bad thing to have a child who reached for lofty goals? When your six-year old daughter wanted to climb across the monkey bars, did you tell her that it was too hard for her and she should wait until she was eight?
Kids set goals all day, every day. And you know what happens when they don’t succeed? They shrug it off and try again, and again, and again. Hmmmm, we call this perseverance, and it is a character trait that will take kids a long way in life. It’s our job as parents to nurture this natural tendency in kids to set goals in a positive manner.
I hope that when my daughter turns 16 she is aiming for lofty goals and dreaming big dreams. Who knows, maybe she will even want to get into Harvard.
What’s your opinion on this subject?
(7) Comments
comments
Melinda on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 08:59 AM
My children want to compete in sports - that is not driven by me as a parent. Our lives as parents would be much easier if they did not want to compete. Since they are competing, CATZ offers my children the ability to compete at the highest level they can achieve. I feel like I am preparing them for their sports in a way that is fun, effective and will hopefully prevent injury. They are in great shape and having a ball doing it. I can now see on the field/court the kids that do CATZ and the kids that do not. The CATZ kids have an edge.
JJ on Tuesday, November 06, 2007 - 11:02 AM
I would like to know how many of his customers competed in their early years.
Also, one other comment, OBESITY.
Finally, the bell curve for competitive dispositions compared to non-competitive in their releations to positive self image vs negative self image can weight in heavly, statistically, without any further studies.
How is it possible to talk down positive parental involvement with kids? Frankly, I thought he was a boob and not in touch with what is on going in the healthy youth community.
Russ on Saturday, November 10, 2007 - 05:04 PM
I watch young athletes train every day. They consistently push themselves and the performance coaches who train them. They play sports and train at places like CATZ because they want the challenge and want to be part of something bigger than themselves.
Childhoods are not being hijacked by competitive sport and performance training as the child psychologist posited. Rather, childhoods can be enhanced by programs designed to challenge them intelectually, morally, and physically.
Athletic challenges help to prepare young people for real life. Learning how to deal with adversity (winning and losing), teamwork (working effectively with people), and developing leadership skills are undeniable elements of a successful life.
Lesley Kargbo on Thursday, January 31, 2008 - 08:01 PM
I admit we do push kids very hard. But in many cases they want these challenges imposed on them, it makes them feel successful when they meet their goals. My wish is that I had the opportunity to train like the pros as a kid, because it made it that much harder to compete with athletes that did in college when I played.
Setanta on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 03:06 AM
There seems to be alot of anti competetion in sports right here in the UK. It’s a worrying trend.
Andrey on Thursday, April 17, 2008 - 10:33 PM
Sport is neccessary. But it`s not main in the life.
Drug Rehab Cost on Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 11:13 AM
Great article, well written. Thank you, this will surely help.