What Does Biking Uphill & Education Have In Common?

My family and I went biking this weekend.  Unbeknownst to me, the direction we took included biking up some pretty tough hills, at least tough for me.

As I was puffing up the hill, the thought suddenly occurred to me how very similar the effort needed to climb that hill was to my own son’s educational experience.  It also helped reaffirm my thoughts about his learning. 

As I already mentioned, biking up this hill was not an easy task for me.  I was faced with several options:  I could quit and turn back (Yes, that thought crossed my mind.), I could get off and walk up the hill, or I could push on and ride it to the top even though it meant a possible heart attack (Yes, at one point I thought I was having one.). 

When our children are faced with a subject that is difficult for them, we sometimes tend to push them on even when they are not yet ready just because “someone” says that at their grade level or age they should be able to accomplish it.    

I am not an advocate of quitting however, I find nothing wrong with walking a bike up the hill.  It may take longer to get to the top, but even at a slower pace, I know I will eventually get there. 

That being said, if you find your child struggling with a particular subject, consider letting them “walk up the hill.”  This may mean continuing that subject at a slower pace.  Be confident that by allowing him to do this, he will eventually get to the top.

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