WILL ALL THE LIFE SLACKERS PLEASE STAND UP.
(hand raised high as I'm jumping up and down)
Except, I don't think of myself as a slacker.
Some definitely would.
I think of myself as a human, who loves experiences, relationships, making memories, and squeezing the goodness out of life.
I'm not a slacker at all, I'm the opposite.
I've made it through school. College even.
I didn't love school. I loved friendships and I loved sports.
My parents, like most said, if you don't get good grades you're not going to enjoy either of those.
Ew.
They had no respect for my social needs ;)
I could care less about quizzes, group projects, and science fairs.
It didn't even interest me.
I can't tell you much about those school years academically.
I can tell you some of the funniest stories I can remember.
Or who was a really nice person.
Or which dean was the hottest.
It was...
Wait, what we were talking about again?
Oh yes, right, school.
I managed to get by with mostly good grades.
My husband was the same way I discovered.
He hated school.
Sports and friendships (ahem girls!) were high on his priority list, so he also managed to get by.
Thank God for spellcheck.
I'm a strong believer in everybody having their own set of talents or things their good at.
Life would be boring if everybody were the same.
Some really love school.
Others hate it.
Some love mechanics.
Others would hate it.
Some love leadership.
Others have no interest.
Some have a nack for inventing things.
Others don't.
To me, school is like any of those things.
You can learn important skills and build good habits from school, but being a good student won't guarantee you success in life.
And it certainly doesn't guarantee to make you a good person.
I remember in high school my mom asked me, what do you want to be when you grow up?
I replied loudly "a millionaire!".
She said, "Karin, you probably should start with school first, how do you think you'll become a millionaire when you don't even get good grades?'
I smirked and said I had no idea, I just knew I would be.
I was gritty, resilient, and a problem solver.
I knew that.
On paper, it probably didn't look like I'd do well in life.
I knew that.
But I didn't care. I knew the paper didn't determine my ultimate success.
One of my kids specifically is not into school.
He does what he has to do to get by, but he struggles academically and finds it frustrating.
Outside of school, he is incredible.
He builds things daily to make life more efficient for himself and life around him.
He has street smarts and can read situations impressively well.
He has a huge heart and loyalty towards people.
He can take things apart and put them back together better than he found them.
He's athletic, passionate, and determined.
He's amazing.
I tell him all the time when he is frustrated after school...
I don't care if you're the best in the class. I don't care if you're at the bottom so long as you are doing these three things:
I care that you're trying your hardest, you're respectful to everyone around you, and doing your best trying to problem solve your way through it.
That's it.
Bring me a C after completing those 3 wishes and I'm giving you the biggest hug and telling you I'm proud of you.
He's not going to be the ace in school, but it doesn't mean he's not going to do well in life.
To me, I know he'll be the opposite. He's got everything it takes to do well in life.
Did you ever hear anyone say, 'the A student will grow up to work for the C student?'
Maybe, maybe not. But in a lot of cases with people around me, I see it.
Take what you've learned in school along with being a good human, and go follow your passions.
That's what'll lead you to life success.
Not just good grades.
They make good habits and build the foundation.
But there are more pieces to figure out for life, career, and relationship success.
Food for thought if you have a child struggling in school.
Love them and be proud of them.
Use lots of positive reinforcement and remind them that school is simply a part of life's puzzle and not the only thing you need to live happily and successfully.
Slack on.
PS: We recently started The Best Mom Life a judgment-free safe zone for moms. Come live your best life and laugh with us here
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