Early is No Longer Early
Why Focusing on Development at the Right Time Makes All the Difference
It has become commonplace for many parents to start their children in sports or music at a very early age. It is now seen as normal for a three-year old to participate in activities at a fairly high level, complete with a support team around them. It is understood that early exposure can make a profound difference.
Yet, when it comes to the single most important thing we possess— our mind— many seem to treat it as an afterthought. It should be noted that there’s also the flip side to this (and one that seems to be growing), with many parents putting their children in therapy and other cognitive activities at an alarmingly young age. I think we need to find the balance.
If it is generally agreed that early exposure can make a profound difference in our ability to develop in some way, then that must also apply to our mental faculties.
Regarding development— defined by the intellectual, emotional, and social aptitude of an individual— I contend there is a right time. A happy middle. The right time is, for most children, is between 8th and 10th grade. During this time period, students enter middle adolescence, inheriting more complicated lives, and start to focus on performance, identify, self-worth and meaning. It is therefore the opportune time for mentorship, particularly mentorship that provides a connection between life and school, the individual as thinker and social being, and one’s past and future.
The money, energy and stress so many parents spend on fighting from behind is something that needs to be addressed. The tutoring industry is making a fortune on overwhelmed students who don’t understand how to study, and stressed out parents that just want to help. Increasingly, we are seeing students become more and more disconnected from their studies; tutoring is only hurting more than it is helping.
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard from parents that they wished they started sooner. But the sooner is not always the better. Finding the right time makes all the difference. Don’t fight from behind. Don’t put undue burden on yourself or your children. Start at the right time. With the right guidance, we can maximize who these young people become.
