So the High School Superstar book has set me thinking about the kids' interests and activities and which ones could turn into that extraordinary accomplishment that can give them an edge.
A few years ago I was researching what activities help with college admissions and came across a source that said team sports help, while individual sports don't. Also that the yearbook committee or school newspaper help. Unfortunately I don't remember what the source was so I can't link to that. I had that in mind when I encouraged my kids to join soccer in elementary school.
I'm afraid we've let our son's activities get out of hand. He's been eager to try a variety of things, and once he starts he doesn't want to stop. So at this point he plays soccer and baseball, takes karate lessons, takes piano lessons and plays viola for the school orchestra, and goes to religious education classes.
We recently cut boy scouts from the list, which I was glad to see go because the amount of time it required, even though I know that colleges love an eagle scout. I insist on religion for middle school, but he'll have the important stuff out of the way by the time he hits high school so I'll let him choose whether to continue or not at that point. We enrolled him in karate because he's a small kid and saw himself as weak - even though he did the second most chin-ups in his class during gym. We're hoping the karate will make him feel that he is strong, and able to defend himself if he must. I don't see it developing into the type of activity that will make colleges take note, though. He enjoys the social aspects of soccer and baseball, but is not a terribly strong athlete. He'll probably play in high school, but again, I don't see them developing into anything spectacular.
I think the piano and viola could turn into something - but the interest just isn't there. He never sits down to play his instruments when he's bored, just for fun. Only during his scheduled practice time. We chose piano for him, but he surprised us by asking to join the school orchestra and play viola. I think the luster of that has worn off for him. Still, of all the activities he does now, music seems to hold the most promise. But it's early days, and I'd like to hold out for something that he really loves and can pursue with passion. But what?
My daughter plays piano, soccer, takes ballet lessons and goes to religious education. She is a talented ballet dancer, and that could potentially be her extraodinary accomplishment. The danger there is... what if she wants to become a ballet dancer??? She has a wonderful scientific mind - it would be a shame to see it go to waste. And most dancers are washed up by the time they hit thirty. Then there's the body image issues and the pressure to maintain an unhealthy weight. I think ballet is a great hobby, but I don't know that it's the kind of career I want my daughter to have.
Now I do have an idea. My daughter is adopted from a different country and we've been planning to take a trip there in a year or two and have been learning the language at home, on our own. Maybe we could make that country our extraodinary accomplishment, for both children. Learning the language, maybe starting a club at school - there's a Japan club already, why not one for a different country? I even have an idea for a related charity the kids could start that would be pretty easy for them to do - in a few years, of course - with very little help from me and would take very little cash to get up and running.
Now a kid raised in that country could do it better, but it will be more unusual coming from an American kid, don't you think? But then that raises the concern that it won't be such a stand-out interest for my daughter because she is from that country originally, even though she's been raised in a family that is not.
We'll keep it in mind, keep exploring their interests and see what develops.
