My daughter is graduating from 8th grade this year. She has gone to a private school since she was three and this is a pretty big deal in our house.

We have spent the last 6 months looking at high schools and we have narrowed it down to one private high school. She is an excellent student and an all around incredible young lady, so I do not see any issues with her getting into this high school. We have always encouraged education in our house and excelling beyond the norm. Not in a psycho way, but gentle pushing or guiding is present in our home.

My husband and I dream and work hard so that our children will attend Ivy League Universities and have a leg up as they start in the world.

Nothing wrong with that, but the other night we were talking about billionaires and that led us to the Forbes List. As we looked through the list we noticed that, with a few exceptions, most of the list consists of high school graduates, college drop outs, or city college graduates. There was little or no Ivy growing on the list. That led to the discussion that people that reach billionaire status are hungry when they start and they have nothing to lose. They take great chances with their innovative ideas and are rewarded financially for that work.

My husband actually said, “You go to an Ivy League School so you can go and work for someone.” What? Is that what we are going for? Do we just want our children to go and work for someone? Should they be hungry so they can show up on The List? And then it occurs to me.

When I look to the future, I never have visions of my children rolling in money or on a list where the majority of people look overworked and tired. I see my daughter in some of the best classrooms America has to offer. Being challenged by people that do not need a list or a lot of money. The emphasis on education is so diminished in this country and we now judge success by the amount of money someone has regardless of their grey matter. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that the men and (few) women on the Forbes List are not educated. There is more to education than a diploma. What I am saying is that they are judged and recognized because they are wealthy. People look to them because they are wealthy. I questioned my education plans for my children because they are wealthy.

Success is in the eye of the beholder and while I wish my children financial success, I wish them passion, joy, experience and butterflies in the stomach even more.

Just my thoughts from the laundry room.

 Rest Easy!

children daily thoughts education family children family Forbes graduation success