We put a lot of pressure on ourselves as parents. We want what is best for our children, and we are willing to put them front and center, thinking that will lead to their success. But will it? What does it mean to be a successful child, a competent student, a good friend, and a community member?
 
Being successful can have many definitions, and we can get caught up in a vertical definition of success: more, better, faster. Yet, if you ask teachers, they will tell you “more, better, faster” does not necessarily build a foundation for success. Laying that groundwork includes going deeper, more slowly, with more independence and resiliency. It includes reflecting and being organized.
 
What does success look like? What leads to success? What can we do and NOT do, as parents, to help our children succeed?
 
First and foremost, take the pressure off yourself as a parent, and your child, too. Each child learns at a different pace, and in different ways. It’s not about reading the largest number of books or instantly absorbing multiplication tables; it’s about how a student uses new knowledge to make connections and broaden his or her understanding of the world.
 
That might mean adjusting a math curriculum to find the approach that’s perfect for a particular child. One child might find a home in a cutting-edge computer lab, digging into coding as a language for math and science; another might draw lessons from the natural world.
 
At Westtown School, academics are paired with a deep appreciation for the individual potential of each child and enhanced by the school’s 600-acre campus. Westtown is a co-ed, private, independent, Quaker school in West Chester, Pennsylvania. It’s a day school for Pre-K through 12th grade, with boarding options for grades 9 through 12.
 
Want to join a discussion about the definition of success — for parents and children? Join us November 7 at the Malvern Buttery for coffee, light snacks, and conversation with Kristin Trueblood, Lower School principal at Westtown. Kristin has over 25 years of classroom experience and a Masters in Independent School Leadership. She will share her thoughts on raising successful kids in today’s world and tools to help parents of young children. This is open to all and registration is required.

UPDATE: Watch this video if you missed the event or want a refresher!

Check out the Facebook Live stream of Kristin Trueblood’s lively discussion in our Main Line Parent Community Group.
 
Photographs courtesy of Westtown School.