High Expectations

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Recommended: The importance of parents in children's education

“We just want you to be happy, we know what is best;” This is how many parents justify setting goals and having expectations of their children as they grow up. In “The Drowned Son,” by David Guterson, the manly duck hunter of a father, Hutchinson, was blamed for the death of his son, Paul, because of his constant push to be doughty. Hutchinson strived for his son to grow up to be a man and not a coward, which pressured Paul to prove himself. Because of his father’s expectations, Paul eventually took a dangerous and adventurous fishing trip which ultimately ended his life. Like Mr. Hutchinson, all parents have hopes and dreams for their children; however having too high or even low expectations of them can be detrimental to their development as they grow to become more fulfilled human beings.

Children can become overwhelmed and pressured if parents set their expectations too high. I grew up in Palo Alto, the fifth most expensive city in the United States. Palo Alto parents expect their kids to do well in school, graduate from a four year university, and have a lucrative career. On top of that their kids must be well mannered, well traveled, and maintain their upper class status. As a result, this pressure has led to four teen suicides in Palo Alto in the year 2009 alone, all right before or during high school. However, studies have shown that students achieve more when they believe their parents have high goals set for them. Students usually exceed their set goals in order to avoid disappointing their parents. We aim to please and live up to these expectations because it gives us a feeling of success. This was illustrated when Paul shot the duck for his father on their hunting trip. “He’d felt an urge to please, that was clear n...

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... lessons that he enjoyed so much when he was younger because they were not “macho” enough. “The boy took violin lessons after school, a thing he seemed to enjoy. But he quit eventually and Laura blamed Hutchinson.” When I was tired or bored of the class I was taking, I was allowed to quit with no influence from my parents; no expectations of me becoming a prima ballerina or a famous artist. My parents, however, did have the expectations of me to get good grades in school, and after high school continue on to get a bachelor’s degree. School was the one area in which they set their sights for me; not to bully me into following in their footsteps, but to make sure I had options in the future when it came to job and career opportunities. I am extremely thankful for their gentle push in the right direction, which has made me realize that sometimes, parents do know best.

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