Education Should Not Be a Tool to Ease Parental Anxiety

“Is my child going to be okay like this?”

“Other kids seem to have already started.”

“I don’t want my child to fall behind.”

These thoughts often surface in the hearts of parents—sometimes quietly, sometimes suddenly.

And more often than not, such worries are projected onto education.

In search of “reassuring” education, many are drawn to speed, results, and efficiency.

But whether that truly serves the best interests of the child is another matter entirely.

The More “Reassuring” the Education, the Less Children Think

Fast-track results.

Clear, step-by-step programs.

Curricula that guarantee everyone will succeed.

These features provide comfort—for parents.

But for children, they can become environments where thinking is no longer necessary.

An education that produces the “right answer” without requiring thought may calm parental anxiety,

but it does not necessarily foster deep learning in the child.

When Anxiety Takes the Lead, We Leave No Room for Growth

When children pause or stumble,

our instinct is to think,

“We need to help them catch up” or

“They need to be guided properly.”

But in those very moments—when things don’t go as planned—lies important developmental time.

When we act from a place of anxiety, we often restrict our children’s options.

And that’s something we need to be mindful of.

Education Should Be Built on Trust, Not Control

At Liberal Studies College, we prioritize thoughtful engagement over immediate results.

We present questions to children through English,

and instead of expecting instant answers,

we cultivate a mindset where they are encouraged to reflect, explore, and express.

It may appear “slow” on the surface—

but allowing time to think is, in itself, a profound expression of trust.

We want to make decisions not from fear,

but from a place of belief in our children’s capacity.

Education, at its core, should not exist to quiet the concerns of parents.

It should be a process that prepares each child to live authentically, in their own way.

At Liberal Studies College, we aim to reimagine education from this perspective.