Childhood Expectations

There's probably a larger commentary in here than I intend to write. Something deep and insightful that explores the balance between pushing a child beyond their years and conversely not challenging them enough. However, like most matters that involve raising children, those boundaries are deeply personal and can only be decided on an individual level by a child's parents.

That having been said, I do believe that as a culture, we don't expect enough out of our young people. Maybe its because we don't believe that they are capable of more than the underachieving stereotypes commonly presented in the media.

Social dynamics aside, two items caught my interest recently that got me thinking about childhood expectations: Zara Larsson and the Clapham School. On the surface they might appear unrelated, however both are prime examples of excellence from sources we might not ordinarily expect - a ten year old singer and eight year old students.

These children clearly have excelled in their environments, no doubt with the encouragement and support of many adults, including their parents. It would be difficult to know if they were pushed, but clearly they were not inhibited by low expectations.

Its something to keep in mind as we raise up the next generation of leaders. Excellence is never an accident.