WIBU to tell my 62 year old dad there's no point in him doing A-Levels!?

[redsector]

My dad has apparently been inspired by his grandchildren! to do a couple of A-Levels. He's a brainy old folk and has recently been told of a discount in tutoring (what my dc used as family friend) so would like to give it a go. Surely it's a waste of time/ effort/ money, etc!? Or do I just roll with it?

Your response to sootica: does that mean you are in fact the same poster who thought it was a waste of time for her 16 year old DD to learn diving? How strange. Why would you think that MN would answer differently to what is pretty much an identical question? You're never too old was the consensus on that thread and on this one too. That should tell you something!

WHen I was teaching on a vocational degree course, we had a lady of 65 who joined the degree programme. Guess she didn't think it was a waste of time - and if she hadn't had the relevant entry quals, she'd have needed to do them first as well.

Glad you've realised that YWBU though!

MrsJayy have you thought about learning Manx instead? in theory it should/could make learning Irish & Scots Gaelic a bit easier.

The mere thought that someone can tell someone else that they are 'too old' to do whatever the fuck they want something has made me feel really fucking annoyed.

There are some people out there (and I'm not necessarily including the OP because I don't know her) who think that learning should stop once you leave school. What a fucking boring place it would be if we all did that.

Please do not discourage him. I am mid 40s and struggled for 2 years to return to formal education. If the grandchildren are his inspiration, let him be proud of them... and let them be proud of him.

It is a whole lot harder than you might think to return to any sort of formal education once your distance from it can be measured in decades... if I were in your shoes, I would be very proud of him.

My great aunt was in her 50s when she learnt to horse ride, and was taking piano lessons and exams in her 80s. Sadly, she went blind and was no longer able to read the music. She now enjoys audiobooks.

I think that older people who are still learning new things are fantastic and inspirational.

Thanks Demented just downloaded the app and restarted my Russian. Might even try Polish too!

Good for him, never too old to learn and 62 isn't even that old anyway! I hope he enjoys his studies

Yabvu.

Yes, YABU. Keeping the brain active is associated with a slower decline in cognitive abilities in late adulthood. Never stop learning

My dad has apparently been inspired by his grandchildren!  to do a couple of A-Levels. He's a brainy old folk and has recently been told of a discount in tutoring (what my dc used as family friend) so would like to give it a go. Surely it's a waste of time/ effort/ money, etc!? Or do I just roll with it?

The respect, love and appreciation you feel for your Dad's ambition to better himself and prove something to himself is mind-blowing. Are you afraid he'll waste his money on himself instead of pitching in for his Grandkids' Christmas presents?

Why not? My mum took 4 exams, 2 GCSEs & 2 a levels just because she could.

It's an excellent way to keep a brain ticking over.

Tell him to go for it, and please support him

OP, I'm wondering why you've been so negative about your father's ambitions. Could it be that you feel that you have underachieved and that it highlights your own issues? (Just asking, so no offence intended).

Yabu extremely IMO

I'd be super impressed with anyone having such interests.

Hope he does well

Your Op makes you sound narrow minded.

Only read ops first post so sorry is xpost etc but, i dont see why he shouldnt? In fact i think that its brilliant and absolutely lovley that hes been inspired by his grandkids, hes an inspiration, pat on the back for grandad

YABVU you should never stop learning leave the man to it.

YABVU and sound really awful. He's not even old! 62! You say he's brainy too. Have some respect for him.

62 is old now?
Good for your dad.

my Dad started a BA when he retired and got his MA when he was in his late 70s. He had to go to work when he left school as his family needed him to be a wage earner. He had always wanted to study. I think it kept him in decent health mentally and having a goal to work towards was great for him. Was he going to get a job afterwards - no way but we were all proud of him and happy that he had something he found challenging and loved and had a reason to get up each day. YABU. I think it's a bloody great idea for your Dad to do his A levels.

What a contemptuous, ageist and frankly quite ill-informed OP.

Like living in a box there was an eighty year old woman I met at an OU summer school. Her father and husband both believed education was wasted on women so she waited til her husband died then enrolled. She was one of the brightest students I'd ever met before or since and I suspect had she had the opportunities we have today would have had an amazing career.

Learning for the love of learning itself is a great gift , who knows maybe in a few years you'll be attending your Dad's graduation as well as your kids' !

...he's a brainy old folk....
Words fail me.
You're beyond ageist and quite honestly your attitude stinks.
I completed my Masters last year at his age, there's nothing to stop him and I hope he totally ignores you and your blatantly ignorant attitude.

I'm curious OP - are you going to start one of these "my family member is too old, should I tell them, lol?" threads every other week?

Will there be a book coming out when you have enough?

62 is not old
I have studied an A Level in my 50s and a HNC at 60+ and passed both
Do some of you want older people to sit helplessly in the corner and do what they are told to do and nothing for themselves?
We older generation have the right and brainpower to study/do things and it is patronising and ageist to suggest otherwise.
I would have done a degree in my 50s but was busy working and I already have one!