Comment by Waterluvian
1 year ago
I don’t think you’re alone. And I appreciate your arguments. They’re valid, even if I disagree.
My perspective is that there is an ever growing wealth of knowledge and skills and only so much time in the day. We see this conflict in some hardcore parents who sign their kids up for an entire childhood of studies.
I think it’s deeply important to have pride in your work and to do it carefully, patiently, methodically. I’m not sure this must be practiced with any specific skill.
I think doctors are an example of how this can be at odds with reality. Do they not take pride in their work, or do they have just so much to study that they cannot afford the expense?
I think it’s also important to identify that this discussion often conflates two things: cursive handwriting and legible printing. I believe schools still endeavour to teach kids to print legibly.
Good point that there has to be some kind of decision about each skill. I should clarify I am not asking for us to be great at every single thing.
But at least have that debate in your head. Is this a skill I want to put time into improving?
And “nobody else cares” shouldn’t be a _major_ part of that argument.
Our school doesn’t teach them to print legibly. That’s my point. I’ve seen his homework and sometimes it borders on illegible.
> And “nobody else cares” shouldn’t be a _major_ part of that argument.
I disagree. Nobody else caring is a strong indication the skill isn't that valuable. If nobody else cares and he can't see a reason to care himself then why would he decide it's a skill he wants to put time into improving?
Tbh it sounds like your son has considered the merits and decided it's not a skill worth working on. You just disagree.
> I disagree. Nobody else caring is a strong indication the skill isn't that valuable. If nobody else cares and he can't see a reason to care himself then why would he decide it's a skill he wants to put time into improving?
Hmmm didn't think about it that way. Definitely a more practical approach.
Agreed. I have limited time in my day. If I spent too much on things nobody else cared about, I would be wasting a lot of time.
This would translate to other more important tasks not getting done.
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I'm not sure I understand your position here. If he doesn't care about his handwriting, and his school doesn't care about his handwriting, what's the point of improving it?
I honestly can't think of the last time I wrote anything down except my signature, and I doubt this trend is going to reverse.
I was trying to make a bigger point (using handwriting as one example) of having an innate sense of wanting to do better quality work in whatever you do. Maybe having the entire population with bad handwriting will push us faster into digital forms.
But as many have stated, maybe I'm just a cranky old dad and things will work themselves out with things he's genuinely interested in. :-)
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