Jack of All Trades vs. Master of One
Is it better to dabble and excel in several things that you love or focus and commit to one talent, one discipline you’re not sure you want to spend the rest of your life doing, but you enjoy?
That’s the dilemma Joey, my 12 year old, is facing. We just had an audition with a music conservatory. Several friends have received scholarships there, and I knew Joey was a candidate. The school explained to me it was a vigorous “Russian” program, and I knew if any one of my kids could do it, it’d be my A+ student who loves to play the piano.
We went. Joey impressed them, and then I was called in and given the “music will be his life for the next seven years” speech. While I was informed by friends that they were very strict, I guess I didn’t realize they expected Joey not to pursue any other interests. In fact, one of the first things they said to me is that he had a strong interview and he was a very polite boy, but he has a lot of talents and interests. Which is true. Joey could have been a competitive tumbler, but for reasons beyond our control (like the gym closing and not finding another program) he’s lost some of his skills. We planned on putting him back in tumbling now that we found another gym. He also loves theatre and thought he could give it up for a year to pursue piano, but he’s dismayed at the thought of seven years of not doing the other things he loves. Now, the scholarship is not for seven years, they reevaluate every year, but they want to take serious students and parents who will push their children and drive them even when the children don’t want to continue. That’s the Russian influence and the teacher was very honest about the philosophy of the school. She even said she had to turn down some very talented students because the parent’s weren’t 100% on board.
So our dilemma. I really want Joey to have this opportunity, especially since I can’t see any other way we can afford piano lessons at the level he needs them, but am I willing to force him to do nothing but piano? He’s not excited about it and I’m just so disappointed because I wanted this to be a good fit for us. And it has me wondering how my other friends who are at the school can still be involved in Boy Scouts. I remember my friend telling me they’re really strict at first and then they can work with you, but she said you can only miss 2 lessons. That wouldn’t work with theatre. And by the time students are in their second year, they’re at the school three hours a week. Decisions, decisions!
My son could be anything he wants to be. He could be great at a lot of things. He already is. Is it fair to push him in a particular direction so he could be excellent? This school seems to think so.
What are your thoughts?
