[BostonCard]

I'm always curious to hear how people motivate their children to excel scholastically.  Neither of my parents had been to a four year university when I was applying to school (although three of my four grandparents had attended Stanford or kal).  My dad always regretted it, but his motivation skills were limited to "get a 4.0" and "go to a good school," which he more or less left undefined.

With my 14 year old sons starting high school, I tried to frame scholastic pursuit and achievement  in terms they could understand; e.g., "if you get A's, you'll live in that mansion with that wife, if you get B's you'll live in that house with that wife and if you get C's, you'll live under that bridge with no wife."  Seems to have worked.

Interesting... my parents offered me nothing in the way of motivation, which was probably smart because them trying to motivate me externally would have at best had no effect, and at worst been counterproductive.  I (and I would like to think most Stanford students) was very internally motivated.

BC

[BostonCard]

I'm always curious to hear how people motivate their children to excel scholastically.  Neither of my parents had been to a four year university when I was applying to school (although three of my four grandparents had attended Stanford or kal).  My dad always regretted it, but his motivation skills were limited to "get a 4.0" and "go to a good school," which he more or less left undefined.

With my 14 year old sons starting high school, I tried to frame scholastic pursuit and achievement  in terms they could understand; e.g., "if you get A's, you'll live in that mansion with that wife, if you get B's you'll live in that house with that wife and if you get C's, you'll live under that bridge with no wife."  Seems to have worked.

Interesting... my parents offered me nothing in the way of motivation, which was probably smart because them trying to motivate me externally would have at best had no effect, and at worst been counterproductive.  I (and I would like to think most Stanford students) was very internally motivated.

BC