(Lack of) ambition mum guilt

[Icansingarainbowsing]

Went to a birthday party today, everyone from my preschool child class was there. A mum told me their child will go to a selective pre-prep that feeds into an elite school, considered a “hot house”. I immediately felt very ashamed of my myself as a mum, mainly because I lack the ambition or confidence to dream high for my child. Their child is definitely not brighter than mine and their family’s financial means are definitely much lower than ours, yet they dared to dream…

Oh

What do you mean by “not dreaming high for your child?”

What are we supposed to say though?

They’re not dreaming they’re just talking. Wait until they’re 10, you won’t know any of them and if you do you’ll find them quietly moved to less competitive schools because “it suits their personality so much” 🙄🤨

My mum didn't finish high school but she had firm ideas about my future career - she'd told me law, accounting or medicine were acceptable. Yes, I became a lawyer. She spent a lot of time with my eldest - he is a doctor. I wasn't seen as anything academically special in the primers either - quite the contrary. We were an immigrant family though and education was extremely important and getting on meant getting out of backbreaking factory and labouring jobs. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with those jobs but my parents wanted better for me. I was very "encouraged" to study and I have to say I am utterly grateful I was.