Parents, Teachers and Coaches – Children Being Raised By “Low Expectation” Adults
A crime. A disservice. Just not acceptable.
Every child is capable of journeying 50 miles, 100 miles or 500 miles. To raise, guide, and motivate a child to only part of their potential is just not right. A 50 mile child who is only encouraged to go 20 miles is losing all of the benefits of the “tougher” 30 miles. No comparisons of children here, every child is capable of their own distance and we have a duty as the adults in their lives to motivate, not push, them to “reach.”
Not pressure, motivation. Not unrealistic goals for this journey. We, as the adults in their life, evaluate their potential and then help them map it out. Go slow? Avoid the hills? Always take the easy route? Stop when the going gets a little tough? No.
Not many of us will make the entire journey to our full potential, probably no one, but to raise a child with low expectations? So that they can feel accomplished with addition when they are fully capable of learning Calculus? Even if Calculus is a little more challenging?
No, no, no to low expectations. No, no, no to unfair pressure either. But there is so much room in between. A lot of human beings hesitate when things get tough. It is just a hesitation, not a stoppage or necessarily a giving up. It is a hesitation to evaluate and motivate ourselves. If given a little room and a little time, many of these young people will make their own decision to push through the hesitation. Don’t cheat the kids of this moment.
Accepting “low” from your child, student or athlete is not doing what is best for them. If you know they are capable of more, we guide them farther down the road. Not drive them down the road, guide and encourage. Having expectations of 45 miles for a 50 mile child/athlete is reasonable. Having low expectations for a 100 mile athlete/child may only get them to 55 miles. not acceptable.
The case for adults with low expectations for a child? How can there be one? What are the benefits of having low expectations for a child who clearly can do more? Now, if we overestimate the distance a child can go, then there may be a problem. But……. I have confidence in the teachers, coaches and adults to be able to properly identify the potential of a child/athlete at the different stages of their life.
Low expectations get us where? No, no, no to undo, unwarranted and incorrect pressure. Yes, yes, yes to positive motivation and guidance to a point on the map that each individual child/athlete is capable of reaching “for them.” Share and comment on if you believe in the message. Tom Burgdorf and Gymnet Sports on Facebook.
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