Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Of Boxing Kids at Home and On the Ring

Couple of articles today, one in the NYTimes and the other from Wired, both having potential impact on raising Zaki.

Redshirting Kindergarteners

This is not the solution.
The school system's the failure. Every child is curious and excited to learn. It's not a matter of letting kid being left at home as both parents now everywhere else needs to work.

What we need are schools focused on feeding off that learning drive and not just on society's focus on churning out readers by the dozen. While it is true that early readers or math wizs can be prized for their early development according to the norms, what kids need most at this stage is more social play and not academics. I'd rather have a kid enjoying learning than one who has memorized alphabet and numbers because of some drill sergeant of a teacher under pressure from a flawed school requirement.


I don't have a lot of data on how well things turn out for those but I can outright say that I believe that all early readers may do well all their school life, proof can be on the report cards, but the motivation is highly suspect nor learning for them has been highly enjoyable and a wonderful adventure, to say the least. Tis that or it may just be my bias on those who were not able to finish required academic requirements but still found success in life in pursuit of their passions regardless of educational attainment.

Stress-hormone Cortisol and boxing fate
Although Zaki will always have problems with cortisol and testosterone levels all her life because of CAH, I wouldn't count her out if she goes into boxing. Big if, of course ...

PS: Just came from the hospital 6 hours ago where Zaki was given IV and the usual hydrocortisone shot to replace fluids she lost vomiting all morning. We're home now but kept IV line open with HepLock. Did sponge bath half an hour ago and gave analgesic to bring down fever. Tough life but mum and dad are up for the task.