The Price of Success

Coming from a single-sex college preparatory school, the article “Child Trap” rings many truths. Everyday I interacted with girls whose parents hovered, writing their papers, finishing their projects, and sideline-coaching their sports, just to name a few. While all our parents wanted us to succeed, whether in the classroom or in the field, a few parents went the extra step to make this possible. One victim of over parenting is an extremely good friend of mine. We met each other our freshman year during volleyball preseason and instantly clicked. As time passed I began to notice something peculiar; her parents were overly involved in her volleyball career. Her father attended every volleyball practice and game, befriending the coach and constantly offering input. As she became a more experienced player, her parents starting pushing the recruitment process for college. They filled out her profile, videotaped her performance, and hired a personal trainer. Volleyball became the topic of every conversation and consumed every minute of every day. Whenever I would try to hang out or talk, her response would be same, “my parents won’t let me, I have to work out (or do my SAT work or edit my video)”. My friend lost her freedom and her passion at the hands of her parents and their desire to have her succeed on the volleyball court. Ultimately, the girl I met freshman year had lost her love for the game. Slowly our friendship diminished. She went on to earn a full scholarship to Division I school but at what expense? The love her parents’ had for her is undeniable, but their constant pushing and pressure took the joy of growing up right out from under her. My friend exemplifies what the article discusses briefly; while the percentage of over parented children age, they quite possibly will succeed in life, but what good is success when the love for the game is gone.