I spend my afternoons shuttling my children back and forth to all of their activities and I wonder who is it for: me or them? And why? Because they love it or I love it? Or because everyone else is doing it? My 7-year-old recently asked if he had to go to his weekly piano lesson. For the price I am paying of course he had to go. But is it really just about the money?
I try to wrap my head around it: Are we scared they won’t be a success? Or could it be that we are all trying to keep up with everyone else? I am even putting my kids in ski class now because all of their friends ski. I grew up in Missouri without a slope in sight, but again, I feel the pressure to have them ski.
I try to tune it out, but it is there, everywhere I go. At school drop-off and pickup and at their classes or on the bus or at birthday parties, you can overhear the conversations. What classes is your daughter taking? Is your son doing after-school? What days are your kids free? We only have Fridays free, so I can schedule you in from two months from now (that one is my favorite).
Yes, I am personally trying to keep up. I do feel the pressure. I want my son to be able to throw and catch like the other boys and I worry about my daughter not being socially accepted in her new school, so I run around like a lunatic trying to keep them involved and engaged with their peers.
I do know this: I peeked into my son’s piano lesson after going back and forth on the matter in my head and I saw happiness on his face. After the lesson he ran out to me and said he was going to attempt Bach. So for now, my children will remain “programmed up” even if it is due to “Mom Peer Pressure.”
