A question for all the parents who made a conscientious decision to step back and let your kids figure out high school and college decisions all on their own, did they ever come back to you, maybe years down the road, and said "mom, why didn't you push me harder to study more, do more sports and EC's - I missed out on my dream college because I was just a kid and needed that".
To explain my position better, I am not planning to stop being a parent and will make sure my daughter knows I am always there to help if she needs me. But I caught myself earlier telling her "you need to take the hardest math classes possible if you want to get into top schools." Yes, she would probably ace those hardest math classes, but shouldn't it be her decision to choose them? At the same time, I am not sure which classes would she pick on her own - maybe some easier ones for a chance with her friends. She's 12 and right now desire to fit in is more that stand out and achieve your best.
So where is that line that separates involved parent from pushy parent and would she ever regret if I tell her she is mature enough to make decisions on what to study and how much?
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