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Home » Life » What I Really Want My Kids to Learn in School This Year

Last updated on August 14, 2019. Originally posted on August 14, 2019 By Maryea / 20 Comments

What I Really Want My Kids to Learn in School This Year

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Another First Day of School is here. The kids are off, nervous and excited. They left me at home, in a house that hasn’t been quiet in three months.

Meghan and Luke first day of school 2019 in front of door

It’s bittersweet, really. I get my work days back, without the inevitable distractions that come when I try to cram my working time and momming time into the exact same space. But Meghan and Luke are gone, and summer, for us, is over, and in so many ways I wish we could hold onto it a little longer.

I have my own kind of nervousness as I send them back to school, starting 2nd and 5th grade this year.  My fear for them ebbs and flows, sometimes I’m quietly confident that they’ll figure it all out and be just fine, other times I can’t quell the worried thoughts that litter my brain and attach themselves to the hopes and dreams this mother has for her children. Meghan  first day of school 2019 in front of door

Perhaps as a form of self-therapy, I decided to write down my hopes and dreams for them this school year. Maybe surprisingly and maybe not, they aren’t purely academic-focused.

Luke first day of school 2019 in front of door

Do I want them to excel in their school subjects? Of course I do. But as we all know all too well, academic success doesn’t necessarily lead to life success. There are more important things I am hoping they gain from this school year than the ability to add fractions or ace the Friday spelling tests.

3 Things I Hope My Kids Learn in School This Year

Meghan and Luke first day of school 2019 in front of tree

1. I want them to learn how to fail.

Yep. You read that correctly. And it’s number one on my list for a reason. Too many children are being raised in a way that protects them from any form of failure, but that’s not realistic nor does it promote growth. You simply can’t move forward in life without failing. Not knowing how to fail can be crippling. I want them to learn and understand that not only is failure to be expected, it’s necessary. I want them to fail without needing to cast blame on others and to have ability to learn and grow when they fail.

2. I want them to learn that kindness matters.

I try to teach them this every day, but does it sink in? Do they really know? I want them to know what it really means to be a kind person. What does that look like? It looks like putting others before yourself, being helpful, smiling and greeting people, not leaving people out, reaching out to those who are alone/sad/different/hurt/scared, considering others before acting, and speaking gently. And I want them to learn that other people’s unkindness doesn’t justify our own.

3. I want my kids to equate hard work with success.

Every child has natural abilities, and they tend to gravitate towards things that they are naturally good at. My kids are no exception. The problem is that they both tend to avoid things they aren’t naturally good at, afraid to not be best or afraid to fail (see #1!). What I want them to understand this year is that hard work can lead to success, even in the things that aren’t “their thing.” I would love both of my kids to develop a growth mindset, aware that when you work hard, you can grow and become better at whatever you want. I don’t want them to think that only natural ability leads to success. Hard work is even more important!

I’m sure I could create a much longer list of things I’d love my kids to learn this year. But if they get these three things down, I will be a really happy mama.

What’s on your list? What do you hope your kids learn this school year?

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Comments

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    December 30, 2024 at 3:50 am

    This post beautifully captures the essence of what truly matters in education. Teaching kids kindness, resilience, and critical thinking alongside academics creates a balanced approach to learning that stays with them for life. It’s refreshing to see such an emphasis on values that shape well-rounded individuals.

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  8. Amber Adams says

    June 26, 2023 at 8:24 am

    I would like to print this document and give it to the parents of the English language learners at my school

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  9. letslearnirish says

    May 11, 2022 at 9:25 am

    Thanks for the awesome post I feel happy to read this post thanks for sharing this post. I constantly read the smaller articles and clarify their motives, which also happens with this article.

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  10. Elisa says

    April 21, 2022 at 1:00 am

    This is a good decision and a great idea. I wish they had no problems with math this year. Last time we sat on YouTube in the evenings and studied mathematics with the help of videos like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kHUfdUdYkg

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  11. sydneyheadshot says

    March 3, 2022 at 7:27 am

    Great Information , thanks for providing us this useful information.

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  12. Depthworld says

    November 21, 2021 at 10:02 am

    I really appreciate your writing, really love to read this article. It’s really helpful for every parent

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  13. Safe and Smart says

    November 5, 2021 at 11:05 am

    That’s really interesting and informative article, thanks for sharing.

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  14. Emma Writer says

    October 21, 2021 at 4:06 am

    Thank you for your story. I keep changing my views. Hearing what you think is helpful. I want my children to learn such valuable things.

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  15. mylittleone says

    August 18, 2021 at 11:03 am

    I really appreciate your writing, really love to read this article. It’s really helpful for every parent and one special thing that really matters is kindness. I think if you don’t teach your child is to be kind, then every achievement which he gains is nothing.

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  16. Kevin says

    May 6, 2021 at 10:56 am

    Thank you for the great article. This information helped me a lot in my work. I hope you will continue in the same spirit. All the best and good luck!

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  19. Lynn T Trimble says

    September 30, 2020 at 10:39 am

    I absolutely support you. I also want my children to learn such simple and valuable things. Another important thing for me is the discipline of children, respect for older people, for teachers and girls, and the school curriculum is absolutely irrelevant. If suddenly there are difficulties with homework, then we will turn to one of the written services from the site pickthewriter.com. This is our irreplaceable assistant for several years now. Now it is important that the second wave of the epidemic does not begin and the children are not closed at home again.

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