Aspirations for your school-aged children??

plzhelpmesave!

Do you have high aspirations for your (young) kids and push them to be all they can? What sacrifices/big life changes have you made to help your kids get a better start?


We have started to think about selling up and moving to a better area with better schools and a wider mix of people in the neighbourhood, so the kids get more and want to ahieve more out of life.

Currently, they are great kids (not that im biased!), but I want them to stay great and be really motivated to become proactive, happy and contributing citizens - not asking for much eh?

We can't really afford to move, so just thinking and researching at the moment, and wondered what other parents think or have done in the past?

Many thanks

CH27

For him to be healthy & happy.

balletshoes

Want to achieve more in life than what ?
We bought a house we could afford, in an area we knew. I have always told my daughter (she's 10) that she can achieve whatever she wants in life, if she works hard enough for it. I have also instilled in her that I expect her to do her best and try her hardest at school, and so far she hasn't disappointed me.
I don't know if she'll want to go to university/have a high-flying career. She might want to travel the world, have her own place/car, have her own secure happy healthy family. All of those are achievements in their own way.

rachbc

I hope they are happy and have decent values

Caroline_a

You can't do it for them, it has to come from them, wherever you live. If you overstretch yourself you will be more stressed and under pressure, far better to have happy relaxed parents who have more time to have fun with their kids rather than worrying about money and working all the hours that they can.

SkintGypsy

Just happiness. My nearly six year old came to the supermarket with me this morning, and the fishmonger guy told her to work hard in school so she didn't up working there! I added, unless she wants to. Her Dad would say differently, but I just want her to be happy and confident and to achieve everything SHE wants. We will help her every step of the way, but happiness is all I want for her.

peachyprice

plzhelpmesave! wrote: »

Do you have high aspirations for your (young) kids and push them to be all they can? What sacrifices/big life changes have you made to help your kids get a better start?


We have started to think about selling up and moving to a better area with better schools and a wider mix of people in the neighbourhood, so the kids get more and want to ahieve more out of life.

Currently, they are great kids (not that im biased!), but I want them to stay great and be really motivated to become proactive, happy and contributing citizens - not asking for much eh?


We can't really afford to move, so just thinking and researching at the moment, and wondered what other parents think or have done in the past?

Many thanks

Do you not have enough faith in your children that they can stay great and achieve the best out of life themselves? How sad that is.

Pushy parents don't make happy and contributing citizens.

kittiej

I agree somewhat with peachy, however, I wish my parents had either directed me more or helped me reach my dreams.

I really wanted to be a lorry driver, and would still love to do this, but they just laughed at me. What they didn't do was offer an alternative option for either another career or to go to university or poly as there were in those days lol.

I would not have been happy if they had been pushy though. I suppose it's trying to find the right balance.

My DS1 is starting Juniors next week and his tests at the Infants showed him as being gifted at science and I was well chuffed for him, he had 3's. I will encourage him as much as I can (I studied engineering so know a little bit) but I won't push him if he's not interested.

My DS2 keeps saying he wants to be a Policeman. Not a career I would map out for him tbh, I would prefer him to consider being a Marine (don't ask me why I just do) but if he wants to be in the Police then I will help him as much as I can.

I wouldn't think about moving so they can go to a better school, but I would pay for a tutor if I thought it would help them.

Lunar_Eclipse

plzhelpmesave! wrote: »

Do you have high aspirations for your (young) kids and push them to be all they can? What sacrifices/big life changes have you made to help your kids get a better start

Very high aspirations, but not pushy parents (ie good manners are expected but not swim teams, tennis coaching or extra homework.) Ultimately, health & happiness are our goals. My husband is incredibly relaxed about everything and we want them to remember happy, loving and secure childhoods and grow into confident, happy adults.

Both our kids are exceptionally bright academically, so we have chosen a fee paying school for them that brings huge financial sacrifice, but for one of our children, there wasn't an acceptable alternative which forced our hand down this path.

moomoomama27

My only goal for them is to be happy and healthy, respectful of people, have good morals and manners. Give them the support they need emotionally and help them with their school work so they can be the best THEY can be! As for pushing them, and being competitive, NO! I don't want to take part in the ''Mummy olympics''.

plzhelpmesave!

Thanks everyone for your comments - a lot of which I agree with too! I atually dont think I am a pushy parent - and was more concerned that I'm too lax with them and not pushing them enough - hence the post!

Peachyprice - I would love to think that we are bringing up our kids as best as we can and that everything good we teach them will stary with them BUT I do think we live in a very competitive world where people/kids/adults are often plagued by self doubt, unfulfilled ambitions, untapped potential - and I want to be able to help my kids to be all that they want to be.

In terms of being pushy, i just encourage them to try lots of different activities so they get a variety of experiences. There's lots of things that they can't and don't do because we cant afford it and they know that and are used to it.

I guess because me and Dh have regrets (like a lot of people!) about things that happened in our earlier lives, we want to do more for our kids than our parents did for us.

Thanks for replying everyone - really interesting to hear everyones views!