Pressure or Encourage?...

My parents never put any pressure ...but I wish they did...because I know my potential is much higher than what it was. They did encourage me..and give me the freedom...but now I know that's not what I wanted. But I know what to do with my son now because of it. But I don't pressurise for marks or top place. My son was the topper last year...this year he was second place...I was fine with it...because he got good grades (infact, better than last year). He just lost the place by 2 marks....and I don't think it's that important.

i know that encouragment is great to give your children,but to pressure them is wrong,if they want to excell at school they will,without pressure.i find encouragment is the greatest tool you can have and if you tell them they are good at something they will want to try harder as they love the praise you give them.cheers sue

Hello aseretdd, I don't find a good reason why I need to pressure my kid to excel in school. Even if he is the 10th among the top 10 in his class, I will be happy for him. I won't scold him for not being able to be the first in his class. I was a good student myself and always came up top in class but that won't promise anything in future. I came to know that my schoolmate who was just an average student in my class, is the Senior Manager with a multi national oil and gas company here. I definitely sure that he earns more than me. One of my friends loved to sing when we were just a small kids and we always teased her that she won't be able to earn anything in future (and we, the bright students will definitely hold a good job later). Now, she is a famous vocal teacher here and I always watch her face in local programs. Looking at her life style, I know that she is enjoying her life. So, I won't pressure my kid to excel. He can do whatever he is interested to do as long as the choice is right and will make him happy in future.

I always encouraged my girls to do the best that they could and I always let them know when I knew they were not living up to their potential. I guess there was some pushing as well as encouragement but also a lot of love.

I always encourage my kids, but never pressure them. But being a child counsellor I am seeing many parents pressuring kids and it makes the kids hate school, lessons and parents too after sometime. It is always better to encourage than pressuring

My daughter is at her last year in the kindgarten. She will go to school this summer. As a mother, I never pressure my daughter to be the best. In any competent, there is only one ranks top first. She is too young to know the meaning of Top First. Happiness means most to her now and all her life.

my parents encouraged me to do well in academivcs. they knew my potential very well. They encouraged and i started understanding taht i should excel. it was for my good future and career only. I support what they did to me.

For the child to excel in school, it requires the child to put in lots of effort and heart to study else parents will have no means and ways to put their child to study. To me, getting to top 3 in class is a great achievement because I am not the person who likes to study so everytime after getting results, I hope for a B or pass however, I made a great leap in my science score. Therefore, my position in the class was from 38 to 8, that was a great jump which I can't believe in myself without any pressure from my parents.

I think a little bit of both is good, encouraging them so that they may feel motivated i think is a good option but also you must sometimes pressure them if they are not doing well in school or are slacking off or stuff like that. If maybe not pressuring them per se, being more strict or more serious...i think it depends on the kid and the situation tho.

My parents never pressure me to excel in school. They love me, the way i am. I am studying and encourage myself because i am "struggle" for my dignity, do not want to look "stupid" or being "stupid" in school. I like to be the 1st for positive reason, and i am proud of my hard works. If i can't be the 1st,i am still happy and proud, that i already give my effort and my parents keep support me. I think parent should show how they become "great" person among their friends, how could they say to their children to be number one, while they were not "number one" also? ehehe... Don'the t give pressure to children, but bring them to the "feeling of happiness" being the 1st and how to reach the 1st. That all i wanna say...

I believe to encourage them to excel in anything is a better way for a parent to tell a child. Whatever it is that they are good at, parents should encourage them to pursue it but not pressure them for such things that they do not want to do. You are hurting them, they may not say it loud enough for the parent to hear because they do not let them live the life they wanted. As a child you are to guide them in the right path but i believe that when you have done your part, the child will choose what they think is best for them and they knew becuase you have thought them to do it.