<p>Most of Chinese students are into math and science national competitions. Our local Chinese schools provide all kinds of supports in those competitions. Violin and music instruments are another hot areas for many Asian students. that’s why I avoid those two areas because the competitions are too strong. Boy Scout, fencing, singing and history have no many Asian students probably because they are not hot in ivy league admissions.</p>
<p>I am out of the mainstream of the Chinese culture for the young kids. I hope I am doing the right things. Of course, i want my son to go to top university if he is able. but I also want to balance his life between competitions and having fun as a kid. So far, I do not push him like typical Chinese/Asian families but more than typical non-Chinese/Asian families.</p>
<p>That’s why he is the only Chinese kid so far taking martial arts for 6 years when all others trying all the mainstream sports. </p>
<p>He wants to do martial arts so he can “self-defend”. He wants fencing now because it is a sword fighting. He is the only kid in the neighborhood who will collect all the tree sticks to fight with other kids. He has a huge collection of sticks. He collects all kinds of toy swords.</p>
<p>He wants to do wrestling after he got his black belt in karate because wrestling is better for street fight. Karate is only good for “above the ground fighting” and wrestling is good for “under the ground fighting”. However, he gave up wresting after a summer camp because he did not like to be threw into the floors. Well , I tried to give him what he wants but he dropped the ideas after three days summer camp….lol </p>
<p>He wants to do boy scout because he wants to learn” survival” in case one day he lands on a no-man land when his airplane crushes. He has good reasons for anything he picks. </p>
<p>So far, the only thing I force him to learn is “violin”…</p>
<p>I don’t think all his passions for self-defense and survival will lend him to any ivy league or most selective university in the future. </p>
<p>That’s why I told him he needs to get Engle Scout. He needs to develop his leadership through this program. He agrees because his best friend in the scout/school at 5th grade is the son of scoutmaster of the cub scout. His father got his Eagle Scout when he was 14 years old. This boy is aiming for the leadership in boy scout. My son will not be as ambitious as his friend but he learns the value being an Eagle Scout from his friend. </p>
<p>Well, we will see how long he will stay with boy scout. Maybe he will drop it soon like he did with wrestling. but he may stay with it to get Eagle Scout just like he stayed with karate for 6 years to get his black belt. He wants the black belt.</p>