It's only six weeks into school and the first marking period is
nearing its end. Finally, an after school routine has been established,
dropping the bags and jackets onto the floor and ripping off the socks and
shoes in a race for a snack before school starts all over again. I
immediately stop my boys in their tracks before they head towards the "TV
room."
This year, I split my boys up. For years they attended the
most reputable private school in town but this year, only one stayed. We
gave our younger son a try at our local public school, one of the best public
school districts in the Lehigh Valley and, quite frankly, we couldn't be
happier. No hard feelings towards the private school but whatever
happened to having a stress-free childhood? I can remember running and
playing after school, skinning my knees, doing a little homework, having
supper, then heading back out with the gang to finish our game of tag, I
declare war, or red light, green light 1,2,3. When the street lights came
on, we knew it was time to head home. Where did those days go? They
have turned our children into human machines, stress not only for the child but
affecting the entire family dynamic. They have sports, music lessons,
homework, tests and projects!!!!!! HELP! How do we fit it all
in? By the time these children get to college, they are burned out and
desperately in need of an escape. These escapes are sometimes legal and
illegal drugs & alcohol and many students fall into a deep
depression. They are fried. What we are witnessing on the news
(school, movie theater shootings, etc.) predominantly college age students,
it's a "pattern" of psychotic behavior, stemming from a cocktail of
drugs, anxiety and deep depression. These kids are blowing through
schools with semi automatic weapons and then killing themselves. They are
not going down without making a statement. Something has to change
because what we are doing is simply not working. My approach: give them
back their childhood!
Since my younger son switched to public school, he's much
happier. They work hard all day in school and come home with one sheet of
homework. He's playing, building, creating, riding his bike with the
gang, has time for music and time for sports. Although still a lot, he
gets in that healthy breathing space and is thoroughly excited to return to
school the next day. In fact, he can't wait. He talks about
tomorrow's classes, what's for lunch and the latest gossip. There was no
time for that before. It was hours of homework, sports, music, hours of
studying and bed. Not a second went by without school work being done. I
realized that each night, I sit in the bathroom drilling my sons on their
spelling words while they are in the shower and in the car I nail them down to
study for their other tests. I'm lecturing them to begin their homework
on the bus in the afternoon and to study on the bus in the morning. What
ever happened to downtime? It's no wonder these kids are cracking.
We as parents need to recognize the trend. It's our responsibility as
parents, no? We need to bring it to the attention of the schools.
In fact, I surveyed other parents of the private school children in my son's
grade (not officially, just in conversation at various functions) and have found
that I'm not alone. What scares me is the fact that the parents haven't
spoken up! There is no communication between the schools and the parents'
concerns. An institution for education has locked out parents from being
able to express their concerns, with the exception of the few conferences
throughout the year. Parents are afraid to speak up and end up just going
with the flow. Wake up people! These are our children and their futures
are at stake! Talk to the teachers and ensure your message is clear.
An email is always good because you can address it to the entire staff.
We need to take a stand now, before our children join the ranks of young adults
that are simply falling apart.
Good Luck.
Jamie Gottschall
The NYClifestylist
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