I remember the day my child was in grade four. She got an assignment from her favorite balding teacher. He was sweet do not get me wrong but he placed her in a group with a bunch of students whose academic aspirations amounted to a heap of mouse-screment. The project was about animals of the arctic. SHe was diligent in doing her research and very excited that I helped her along as an awesome mother would by preparing pictures and lettering for her. Unfortunately the effort of the other darlingds in her group did not gowell. You see, other people are often able to let go of their children at a reasonable age.
What age is that anyway? In my opinion that age is when I as a parent am finally able to withstand any disappointment my child dishes out. We have not yet arrived.
Anyway. Being the oldest of my children she has a natural tendency to lead... ok she's bossy. Needless to say others in the group did not appreciate it and one of the students colored a large black blob across their white project about the Arctic. What a Shit. Poetic though that was. Mr Shiny headed teacher ended up marking her individually and she got a 93% which totally reinforced my need to hang on as long as possible. On the other hand she learned a life lesson.
Never assume that the things that are important to you are the same for everyone around you. Everyone has different priorities and if success is important to you, you do your part to attain it.
My eight-year -old is coming up to grade four soon and I bet he'll expect me to just do the whole project for him.