Like, naturally, you don't wanna crush dreams. But this 14 year old kid in my classroom just now sang Halo to "show us all how he get down."

...


This dude right here...

Head rollin, finger up, diaphragm vibratin hard.

My face hurt right now.

The bell rang and I said "Ohpe. Time for lunch..." Walkin out, he said "Beat dat..." I coulda screamed.


But he is the guy who will absolutely be in line to play himself on reality TV in a few years.

Nobody had to tell me I suck at basketball or breakdancin, I just knew. Would you tell your kid if they were oblivious to that shit?

No, I wouldn't tell him he sucks. Tell him he's got nowhere to go but up.

RodeoSchro said:

No, I wouldn't tell him he sucks. Tell him he's got nowhere to go but up.

Lmao. But I think he coulda been spared a severe Simon Cowell moment later in life if I had just let fly with the "Man, please!" I had springloaded behind my lips.

I did him a disservice.

For that, I apologize to you all. It takes a fuckin village. Or a nice guy, a nice lady and an asshole behind a table.

Holy Hannah, don't tell him he sucks!

DrRockdapuss said:

Like, naturally, you don't wanna crush dreams. But this 14 year old kid in my classroom just now sang Halo to "show us all how he get down."

...


This dude right here...

Head rollin, finger up, diaphragm vibratin hard.

My face hurt right now.

The bell rang and I said "Ohpe. Time for lunch..." Walkin out, he said "Beat dat..." I coulda screamed.


But he is the guy who will absolutely be in line to play himself on reality TV in a few years.

Nobody had to tell me I suck at basketball or breakdancin, I just knew. Would you tell your kid if they were oblivious to that shit?

If he showed zero signs of promise, yes. Don't let the kid embarrass himself. Better to learn the harsh realities of life sooner rather than later.

That 14-year-old sounded a little pompous if you ask me. I'd definitely read the riot act to his ass. Or better yet, let him perform at the Apollo.

[Edited 12/22/10 9:17am]

Don't worry. If he's like most of us, his own parents will crush him enough.

My parents were masters at pointing out all my shortcomings - physical and otherwise.

.

[Edited 12/23/10 6:17am]

Genesia said:

Don't worry. If he's like most of us, his own parents will crush him enough.

My parents were masters at pointing out all my shortcomings - physical and otherwise.

SISTER!!!!

Aren't we? Sounds like we at least had the same Dad.

PANDURITO said:

You are never too young or too old to hear "da truf"! I spend all this time telling lil dude to be honest and not lie, so why would I lie to him? He be trying to sing and I'm like "lil dude...not your forte".

I'm trying to steer him to careers that are for his abilities....like newspaper reporter because he likes to talk a lot, is nosy, loves drama, has a lot of energy, and is cute.....

Nothinbutjoy said:

Genesia said:

Don't worry. If he's like most of us, his own parents will crush him enough.

My parents were masters at pointing out all my shortcomings - physical and otherwise.

SISTER!!!!

Aren't we? Sounds like we at least had the same Dad.

I love my dad...but he was way too hard on his kids. And since I was the eldest, a lot of it fell on me.

I remember hating to play the piano when he was around, because if I hit a wrong note, he'd always point it out. "Sounds like you're playing the cracks, instead of the keys!"

He was trying to be clever, but it hurt. Especially since I was always trying to play the kind of music he liked, rather than what I liked.

Genesia said:

Nothinbutjoy said:

SISTER!!!!

Aren't we? Sounds like we at least had the same Dad.

I love my dad...but he was way too hard on his kids. And since I was the eldest, a lot of it fell on me.

I remember hating to play the piano when he was around, because if I hit a wrong note, he'd always point it out. "Sounds like you're playing the cracks, instead of the keys!"

He was trying to be clever, but it hurt. Especially since I was always trying to play the kind of music he liked, rather than what I liked.

I love my dad to, but he did the same thing. His dad was super hard (read abusive) on him hoping it would make him tough and give him a "I'll prove him wrong" attitude.

I was the youngest until I was 14. My dad had remarried, so I have a younger brother and sister. The family pretty much conceeds that our dad was toughest on me for whatever reason, but now that I'm grown, it doesn't matter.

BklynBabe said:

PANDURITO said:

You are never too young or too old to hear "da truf"! I spend all this time telling lil dude to be honest and not lie, so why would I lie to him? He be trying to sing and I'm like "lil dude...not your forte".

I'm trying to steer him to careers that are for his abilities....like newspaper reporter because he likes to talk a lot, is nosy, loves drama, has a lot of energy, and is cute.....

co-sign

Genesia said:

Don't worry. If he's like most of us, his own parents will crush him enough.

My parents were masters at pointing out all my shortcomings - physical and otherwise.

His folks def ain't doin it. Cause hear him tell it, he could blow Tevin Campbell out in utero.

.

[Edited 12/23/10 6:17am]

RodeoSchro said:

No, I wouldn't tell him he sucks. Tell him he's got nowhere to go but up.

good advice!

XxAxX said:

RodeoSchro said:

No, I wouldn't tell him he sucks. Tell him he's got nowhere to go but up.

good advice!

Hey, that's high praise - coming from an art thief!

Tell him that he should join the choir class. At least in there,he will get the guidance he neds to sound better,and if he sounds bad,I'm sure the teacher would have a better way to explain his singing faults.

The quickest you crush an impossible dream the better.

No but really, folk over-inflate kids' heads these days.

I remember when my cousin went through a whole "I wanna be a singer." phase. She sang some stuff at the Thanksgiving table and my mom asked "With what voice are you gonna do this?"

My aunt and uncle were piiiiiiiiiiissssed.

Genesia said:

Nothinbutjoy said:

SISTER!!!!

Aren't we? Sounds like we at least had the same Dad.

I love my dad...but he was way too hard on his kids. And since I was the eldest, a lot of it fell on me.

I remember hating to play the piano when he was around, because if I hit a wrong note, he'd always point it out. "Sounds like you're playing the cracks, instead of the keys!"

He was trying to be clever, but it hurt. Especially since I was always trying to play the kind of music he liked, rather than what I liked.

I use to refer to my Dad as the bubble popper,caue he sure knew how to pop mine. Anytime I would get a thought in my head,that was probably beyond my years at the time,he would snatch it away fast.

I really started to dislike him for it,so one day I let him know how I felt. I don't think he realized that it affected me like that,but once I let him know,he was more aware,and thought before he spoke or just kept him mouth shut,which was fine because silence was better than his negative opinon.

Luckily I realized my mediocrity at a young age and have set the bar low ever since. I pretty much always exceed expectations now.

As for my daughter, she's yet to bet deadset on doing something she sucks at. So I haven't had to burst her bubble. Not sure how I'll approach it.

there has to be a constructive way to phrase it.

johnart said:

The quickest you crush an impossible dream the better.

No but really, folk over-inflate kids' heads these days.

I remember when my cousin went through a whole "I wanna be a singer." phase. She sang some stuff at the Thanksgiving table and my mom asked "With what voice are you gonna do this?"

My aunt and uncle were piiiiiiiiiiissssed.

and you kept quiet???

You should really encourage him to pursue a career in music producing. Maybe he'll eventually get the point.

PositivityNYC said:

johnart said:

The quickest you crush an impossible dream the better.

No but really, folk over-inflate kids' heads these days.

I remember when my cousin went through a whole "I wanna be a singer." phase. She sang some stuff at the Thanksgiving table and my mom asked "With what voice are you gonna do this?"

My aunt and uncle were piiiiiiiiiiissssed.

and you kept quiet???

Me? Quiet?? In what bizarro universe? I was rollin on the floor.

johnart said:

PositivityNYC said:

and you kept quiet???

Me? Quiet?? In what bizarro universe? I was rollin on the floor.

I'd've been right down there with you. That shit's high-larious!

it's very common to be told you can't do things if you're English. your folks will have no hesitation in telling you if you're rubbish.

an atmosphere of encouragement would seem odd to me...

i dunno, can anyone from the UK back me up on this one?

RodeoSchro said:

XxAxX said:

good advice!

Hey, that's high praise - coming from an art thief!

shhh i'm incognito!

whistle said:

it's very common to be told you can't do things if you're English. your folks will have no hesitation in telling you if you're rubbish.

an atmosphere of encouragement would seem odd to me...

i dunno, can anyone from the UK back me up on this one?

I haven't seen it personally. My husband was born and raised in the UK and his parents raised all of their kids to believe that they could do anything they set their mind to.

I am American and my dad called me stupid so much, I thought it was my name. My mom was good at giving me a list of reasons why I could not do something.

I am going to learn from my experiences and hubby's experiences and make sure that my son feels loved and that he can do anything he sets his mind to and that he works hard for.

Shanti0608 said:

I am going to learn from my experiences and hubby's experiences and make sure that my son feels he can do anything he sets his mind to and that he works hard for.

Even if you know it's not true?