<p>Hi,
I'm not a parent, but I need some advice from all you parents out there: </p>
<p>My mom is obsessed with me learning math and science. That's because she believes that math and science are the most important subjects. Problem is, I take other classes too and work equally, if not more, as hard for them. But, she is trying to get me to stop studying every other subject in order for me to "focus" on math and science better. She even threatened to not buy me my drama and french books this year. </p>
<p>She isn't usually a very micromanaging person at all but people have told her that my school has a bad math/science program because it focuses on the fine arts too much (like drama, french, and poetry)--it doesn't have a bad math/science program at all and I think she knows it, but she's afraid that all of her friends are right and my school has terrible math/science programs</p>
<p>by the way, I have straight A's in all my subjects (math, physics, french, drama, english, and history)--AND my favorite subject is math anyways, plus I scored super-high on the state math exam </p>
<p>I think she thinks that if I'm doing a ton of history/french/drama/english homework then I'm not doing anything else (aka math/science)? How do I explain to her that everything is important...and I can't just sit around reading math textbooks the whole day?
Or should I not explain to her and just keep telling her I'm doing math homework when I'm doing french homework (I did that the whole of last year)</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>Try to explain to your mother that what will take you far in life is being able to connect all kinds of different fields and not just knowing one or two things (even math and science) to the exclusion of other areas. Let her know that at MIT, for example, CS doctoral students are not to take CS classes anymore, but classes in any other field in order to meld CS with other areas. If you want to be published in "Science", it helps to know how to write well. If you want to be able to get into a top graduate program, it helps to show you can present your research well in public and experience on a stage acting can support having stage presence (so having good experience in drama can help). And no matter what one does in life as far as a career, knowing things about a great number of fields will make someone a more interesting person and help in networking, landing jobs, etc.</p>
<p>If you were tanking in math and science, I could see a parent being concerned, but given that you have straight A's in all subjects and scored high on the state math exam, I am having a hard time understanding the reason for your mother's anxiety.</p>
<p>Finally, explain to your mother than math and science are like fruit and vegetables in one's diet - they are extremely helpful, but if all one consumes is fruit and vegetables, they will not be as healthy as having other forms of nutrition in the mix. To not buy you drama and French books when you crave those would be like not allowing someone any dairy and grain in their diet.</p>
<p>I'm not a parent either, and I'm somewhat more cynical about certain parental attitudes on issues like this than the parents, so take this for what it's worth:</p>
<p>It sounds like you tried the logic and it didn't work. Maybe you didn't use the right logic. LazyBum201, for instance, just gave you more logic that you could use. Pick the logic that will push the right buttons (which you, since you know your mom and we don't, would know better than we do) and try that. If that doesn't work, then give up on the logic and continue to take the classes that you already are while playing up your math and science work and playing down the other stuff.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, for the "logic" route, you could look up what well-known tech schools like MIT actually want applicants to have taken in high school, and show it to her.</p>
<p>Good advice above. Many parents equate math and science with good job opportunities later in life -- and it is true that it's important to study math and science in HS. But you're obviously already doing that. So good for you.</p>
<p>Just do what my D did when I invaded space rightfully her's. Smile and nod and say :"Uh-huh. Uh-huh." And then do what the heck you were going to do anyway. It's the way of the world.</p>
<p>Curm, the mom may be foreign and to her 'invading' her child's 'space' may be a foreign concept :)</p>
<p>OP, I would point out that top schools want well-rounded students, and that you work to keep up your grades in humanities to be a competitive candidate for good colleges and universities. That should take care of the discussion... at least for the time being.</p>
<p>katliamom, I thought of the same possibility before posting but....the head nod works most anywhere on most anyone, especially combined with eye contact. I got another dose of it today. ;)</p>
<p>You get head nods and eye contact? You're ahead of me! I get head and eye rolling. Simultaneously.</p>