Don’t chase grades. What really matters in teaching a child

Madeline Levin, a practicing psychologist with 40 years of experience, reconsiders existing views on success. She suggests focusing on qualities that mean more than grades and getting into university, and will help a child grow into a truly happy person. Previously, the book was published under the title "The Most Valuable." The race for success and achievements these days begins in early childhood. Due to excessive pressures, children's health and psyche suffer, many feel unnecessary and misunderstood. Will such sacrifices lead to the desired success when the child grows up? Child psychologist Madeline Levin convincingly argues that it won’t. In 21st-century society, a person will be successful if they learn to cooperate, ask good questions, and face difficulties. Developing empathy, self-control, accurate self-perception, and a number of other important qualities will help achieve much in various areas of life. The author suggests developing seven key resilience skills in children that will become a reliable support in life. Moreover, parents need to come to terms with their own values and make them a part of upbringing, as parental example is the best method of influencing children. Who this book is for: For every parent with children aged 5 to 18. From the author: Excessive focus on the parameters that define success today: high marks, awards, and admission on a competitive basis to kindergartens, schools, and colleges, is an incomplete definition, often misleading. It creates a false assumption that high academic achievements at an early age are a precursor to success in many areas, including interpersonal relationships and self-perception. Sometimes it is true; but often it is not. It would be nice to start thinking about success not from the perspective of today, the next semester, or academic year, but from the perspective of how we hope to see our children in ten or twenty years when they leave home and move into independent life. Yes, to raise children with such a long-term perspective requires courage and imagination. But it is also the most effective way to ensure they have a full, meaningful life. We must shift our focus from overprotection, obsession with a narrow understanding of success, and unhealthy expectations that they will give status and meaning to our own lives, and return to the basics of upbringing so that children grow as healthy individuals, remaining themselves.