Too Much For a 5-Year-Old to Handle?

Some of you may find me hypocritical regarding this blog because I am often talking about how lazy kids are these days and how the work ethic is in danger with the young generation.

And here we have a kid who is way, way, way above average in so many regards.

But I think I am being consistent because I have never supported parents putting overwhelming burdens on their children either.

The New York Daily News had a story about a young girl who knows 7 languages, plays 6 instruments, knows 2 types of dance, and plays 2 sports.

Oh. And she’s FIVE YEARS OLD.

Zoinks, Scooby!! Talk about a busy kid!!

The little girl is the daughter of Haitian immigrants who should be admired for their work ethic and emphasis on education. The mom home schools her daughter while the dad works 16 hours a day as a parking attendant. They manage to afford $1,500 A WEEK on tutors and lessons.

ZOINK again.

$1,500 a WEEK?!?! For a FIVE YEAR OLD?!?!

Yes, I bemoan the slacker culture in America today. The Dependency Mindset that is choking us to death.

But is it really fair to this child to have her studying 6 days a week, 7 hours a day?? Isn’t that a tad much?? Isn’t that a LOT much??

Imagine her load when she is in high school or college! How much pressure she will feel then, perhaps, to perform.

Again, it’s good to see parents with a hard work ethic and love for education. But sometimes, it can go overboard.

Even if your child IS a genius (our oldest son scored off the charts for MENSA when he was a toddler), it doesn’t mean you should put so much pressure and burden on them. They still need to be kids, after all.

This is the other far extreme from letting your kids sit around and letting their minds and limbs stagnate. But it is still an extreme in my estimation.