I had lunch with my mother and sister the other day and I was telling mom what I'm doing in life. She wasn't happy. And I understand why she isn't happy. Why would she be happy if her son is not getting a higher education.
I can imagine my daughter telling me she doesn't want to go to high school. I can imagine myself panicking while she explains to me that she wants to be a ballerina and there is no point for her to get a baccalaureate diploma. She can directly go to dance school. I can see myself looking into her dream-filled eyes while she describes 'how incredible it is to be doing what she always wanted to do' and 'how happy and complete it will make her'. While I think that 'I lost my child'.
It scares me.
And I'm sure my mother is scared for me too.
But how would I handle the situation?
Should I come to terms with my daughter's decisions and stay scared or should I convince her to go back to school?
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- She is only 17!
- She is still young!
- She is not safe!
- She is not as mature as me!
- She doesn't understand what life is!
- She will not be happy!
- She will regret it!
- She is risking her life!
- She is wasting her future!
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And that's what my mom tells me. She said during our conversation that day:
Mom: ...You are wasting your future.
Sherif: What if I got employed at a big company and they payed me $10,000 a month?
M: Without a BA?
S: Yes.
M: Then it means nothing.
S: Why?
M: Because we are in the 21st century and people are asking for Masters!
S: What if I had 40% of that company and I would be set for life?
M: What kind of company employes people without diplomas?
S: I'm just saying this as a suggestion.
M: This is not a suggestion. Stop this Sherif and go back to university and be a student like everyone. Go back to be the smart child that I was proud of.
It's really tough to be a parent. Imagine how hard it is to get them to school and then keep them in it. A school that is designed before the 21st century.
Would I put my 21st century children in a industrial aged habit-forming system?
Would I make my ballerina daughter study calculus?
Would I make my ballerina daughter fail biology and tell her she is not enough?
Would I make my ballerina daughter stop dancing because 'Math and Sciences' are more important than 'Arts'?
Regardless,
I think the real question is,
wether it's with or without a college degree: How can we make our children lead a happy life?
*Mind you: I am accepted at Central Saint Martins and I will be going there in September. My mom still talks to me as if I'm a drop out.
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