Our society as we know it today places so much importance on one specific brand of intelligence. This kind of intelligence can be described in many ways, but for all intents and purposes, we’ll call it “book smarts”. It’s the kind of intelligence that allows a student to focus in class and get straight A’s. It’s the kind of intelligence that allows them to be the model student or college grad. But there are so many other forms of intelligence, and here’s why you must embrace the kind your child has.
Trying To Be Good Enough
If all you do is focus on how good your child’s grades are, they’ll come to define their value based on how well they do in school. This isn’t a great scenario, because if they do well, they’ll grow up thinking that you only love them because they got straight A’s. If they don’t get good grades, they’ll grow up to believe they’re not smart and that you’re not proud of them. This is the last thing you want.
Lifting Them Up
It’s crucial that you understand that our human brains don’t all fall into the same “box” that modern schooling creates. If your child is struggling to focus in class, it’s not necessarily because they have focusing issues. It could be that their minds aren’t stimulated by that specific type of learning. You need to lift them up, tell them that you love them no matter what, and try to learn what makes them tick. See what stimulates their intelligence and follow that thread—because that’s how they’ll grow up to be proud of themselves, instead of feeling insecure that they’re not good enough.