Think back to your deepest fear when you were 10 years old.
I was afraid of vicious dogs getting out of their yards and chasing me as I walked home from the school bus stop. I was afraid of being kidnapped. I was afraid of the world being destroyed in a nuclear war.
But what are 10-year-olds today afraid of? Well, I can tell you what my 10-year-old daughter’s classmates fear.
There’s a series of posters stuck up outside my daughter’s classroom. On the posters, the students have shared their dreams for the future and their fears. I started to read them, thinking they might be cute. Instead, as I read my way through them, I found myself becoming sad. Really sad.
The kids had a range of fears – insects, wild animals, clowns – but there was one that kept turning up over and over: failing a test.
Top Comments
What's wrong with tutoring? Not to complete with Naplan or whatever or to fulfill a parent's dreams, but...
If a child is quite behind in an essential class say English or Maths?
It would help them to catch up. Or possibly identify any learning difficulties.
Same goes for their preferred or best subject. If your child enjoys something like a language, music or science, and they have a natural aptitude at 2-3 years above their current year level for that particular subject, why not get a tutor to keep them stimulated and challenged? It might led to their life's work that they love.
I think that the one thing a parent can help with (if possible ) is reading........early reading.
It starts with reading to your kids (usually bedtime ) because this is not just a wonderful activity, it should encourage little kids to WANT to read themselves.
Early reading skills help kids to learn about the world and assists their imaginations - incredibly important.
My early reading ( I was reading really well before school started ) was treated like a nuisance - but that was back in the Dark Ages.
Our kids also read at 3yrs and it has served them incredibly well.
Yes, it IS sad that these kids feel so pressured & anxious so let's see how that manifests in later years.