与尘共舞~~~~~~

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我这样疏导大女儿的忧愁

(2015-02-02 10:39:35) 下一个
我这样疏导大女儿的忧愁

作者:与尘共舞 (2/2/2015)

我家老大今年九年级。我发现,自去年秋开学以来,她无忧无虑的笑容少了,隔三差五的叹息多了。为啥?

上高中前,我家老大一直就近入学,品学兼优,健康骄傲,快乐自由。可她周围的华人朋友,除了上私立的,基本集中在本市最好的一所公立学校就读。女儿自愿参与竞争,逼着我给她报名,结果录取了。可自从上了这所高中,她的生活便发生了翻天覆地的变化:

第一, 就近上学时,她每天早晨可以高枕无忧到七点半;而现在,每天六点就得爬起床。
第二, 这里华人孩子的数学都超前。我家没有花钱给孩子课外补数学,所以,老大到了学校,才知道比别人拉了几门课,便自学起ONELINE的数学课,压力很大.
第三, 这所高中的作业特多,女儿每天回来,除了吃饭,就是学习,几乎每晚搞到十点十一点,疲惫不堪。
这样的生活,算算也持续近半年了。这不,今晨起床,她又不支声了,一个人坐在阴暗的沙发里打盹。我问她睡好了没有,她也不说话。临出门前,她突然说:“I hate everything related to academics. So many work. I hate it.”
我很震惊:女儿心里,一定酝酿了很多我不明了的东西。
上路后,我开了暖气,从后视镜里看见她懒懒地醒着,觉得很心疼:女儿啊,你开始长大了,而长大,就是这么不容易啊!于是,我决定疏导她:“Nancy, you look so pressured. You need to learn to relax. Maybe, you take too much.” 女儿这学期选了大学的一门课,法律的一门课,工作量都很大。

“I can’t. There are so many things to do. How can I relax? I don’t have time for what you said.” 女儿不相信地说。
“You can. You can relax right now. Enjoy this ride and learn to appreciate. Look, Nancy, the park.”我指指路边的公园:很美,晨雾缭绕,朦胧如梦。
女儿没有说话。但我看见,她侧过了头,在看,也在听。
“Now, you have chosen to come to this school. You must learn to enjoy everything you do.” 我小心切入。
“How? Some of the subjects I don’t even enjoy, but I just have to do it.”女儿倒出了她的苦水。
“Why?” 我想知道。
“Because they help you build a good resume, and a good resume leads you to a good
college.”女儿深沉地说。
“What’s the use of going to a good college?”我故作不懂。
“Because a  good college leads to a good job.”女儿给我上课。
“Not necessarily. ” 我小心地否定。
“I mean, at least it enhances the chance of getting a better job.”女儿修正道。
“I see. Then, that means you truly believe what you are doing is the best for you.” 我放心了:因为,女儿知道为自己的前途操心了。
她肯定地点点头。
“Then, is there a better way to handle the stress you are experiencing?”我问。
“I don’t know. For me, it just feels better to let out my stress and anxiety. ”女儿直言不讳。
“But, it may not be the best way to mature.”我指的是女儿一遇事,就急躁的脾气。“From my experience, depending on what kind of situation you are in, you can handle stress differently.”我开始和她分享自己的体验。
“The first kind, you can control the situation. It’s easy. If you don’t like something, you simply don’t have to take it. ”我干脆地说。
“But I don’t have the choice but to take these lessons.”女儿一下就看清了自己所处的形势。
“That’s the second kind of situation. And, unfortunately or fortunately if you will, most of us are in this kind of situation: do something out of obligation. If you are obliged to take something, then you have to learn to enjoy it, enjoy every moment of it. Once you put your heart into doing it, you will forget it is boring.” 我真心地说。
“OK.” 女儿点点头,似乎在体会我的话的含义。
“Look, Nancy.”我又指着路边的一棵树说。
“What?”
“Look at that tree. It is cold,yet it still has to stand up straight. Look at those bird nests. Feel pitiful for those birds. They are cold, yet they still have to fly out to get food. Life is not easy, not just for human.”
“Ah......yes, I remember when we lived in the suburb, there was a nest in our pear tree......in the front yard......It was so cute......”不知不觉中,女儿开始进入放松的状态了---她开始给我讲她童年捅鸟巢的故事了。
......
女儿的故事讲完了,我做了总结性发言:“Really, at the moment when we start to feel blessed, our stress and anxiety start to fade away.  We are blessed because we can ride in this warm car, we can enjoy the morning scenes; you are blessed because you are good enough to go to the best high school in this city, you have the opportunity to learn the unknown, and ......” 我诡秘地笑笑,补充道:“you have this mother to listen to your complaint, and to quarrel with you.”
女儿也笑了,表示同意。
学校到了,女儿背起沉重的书包,放出一声叹息,道:“OK,mom. Have a good day.” 啊 ,今天,女儿竟然给了我祝福!她大步向人行道走去,我冲她喊道:“If you feel heavy, look up into the sky. It is unlimited up there.”

女儿回首,向我挥了挥手,回应道:“I know.Thank you, mother .”


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阅读 ()评论 (24)
评论
yuchengongwu 回复 悄悄话 回复 'Lilac2003' 的评论 : 我经常给她减压,但做决定的是她。只要她明白,她是为自己学习,为自己选课,就好。
Lilac2003 回复 悄悄话 回复 'yuchengongwu' 的评论 :

你的女儿是自推孩子,你并不需要太多担心。不过,我建议你让她不要给自己太大的压力,削减了一些课程。我儿子选课当然有点少,所以他很放松,但下学期,他决定选择更多课。

yuchengongwu 回复 悄悄话 回复Lilac: 必须给他看。我也把这里叔叔阿姨的回帖给几个女儿看了。老大很高兴,笑个不停,是啊,有这么多人关心她的故事,她很自豪的。我说,你回来就近上学吧,她说,她没事,她还是喜欢压力和学习的,就是不喜欢这么多功课。这不是自相矛盾嘛?没有作业,就不叫学习,没有功课,何谈压力呀! 看来,她真还是个随性的小孩子!
Lilac2003 回复 悄悄话 看看所有你们的女儿学习如此努力,觉得很不好意思.

我儿子也是9年级,晚上9点前完成每天的功课,然后看体育频道电视,吃水果,晚上10点上床睡觉.只有一次做功课,直到晚上10:30,很生气,抱怨压力太大.

我应该分享你的女儿的故事给他,哈,哈,哈,哈.看看谁的压力更大...
yuchengongwu 回复 悄悄话 回复Garlily: 谢谢您的鼓励。好的,有时间,有触动,我就写。
Garlily 回复 悄悄话 从你对你女儿的描述我看到一个活脱脱的我那上九年级的女儿。她也是个perfectionist。看到她自己这么努力一方面感到很欣慰,一方面又很心疼。你对你女儿的开导非常有智慧,让她看到光明的一面。我要向你学习。希望今后看到更多你与你女儿互动的文章。对我很有启发。
yuchengongwu 回复 悄悄话 回复lisa: 我的天! 她的身体,可怎么受得了?如果我女儿发展到这地步,我自己可能得先崩溃了! 不行,天天这样,肯定不行。
lisaf827 回复 悄悄话 我女儿9年级时学校没有AP的,每天晚上功课也要做到11点多才能睡,现在10年级了,1门AP,两门HORNOR,每天功课要做到1点左右才能睡。她说到了11年级要take 4门AP,功课至少做到2-3点才能睡。所以,你女儿看来不算压力大的哦。
yuchengongwu 回复 悄悄话 回复Lilac2003: 你说到我心里去了。她就是要强,经常说她“have to be the best at what I do", 而且不愿面对失败。不过,我也发现,她总喜欢找外界原因给自己的差错开脱,不是自责不能自拔的那种。她这样,我倒放心了。
yuchengongwu 回复 悄悄话 回复Florence: 谢谢你提供的两个案例。其实,我从来没有给女儿背上上名校的压力。她的压力,完全来自自己。我觉得她很在乎别人对她怎么看,她不愿比别的亚洲孩子落后:中文,数学,AP,等等,好像别人这样,她也必须这样。我这个女儿很犟,很难说服。但好的事,她没心眼,喜欢说,不藏事,所以,问题不大。
yuchengongwu 回复 悄悄话 回复Florence: 你问我什么是女孩子的花季,这是我的回答:

沉迷自我的 美
展喉歌唱的 醉

琢磨不定的 叹息
纯洁无暇的 眼泪

有时 不经意
有时 太在意

尽情也尽心
却不总尽意

也许
这是一个女孩

拥有的
花季
Lilac2003 回复 悄悄话 女儿太好强不好. "她怕失败和出错"--意味着她追逐完美.这样很危险.人生充满着挑战,犯错并从错误中吸取教训,是生命成长课程.有时,需要坚持;有时,需要放弃.

你是一个很善解人意的妈妈,更多的沟通,将有助于你的女儿.生命是一个旅程,让女儿享受她的学习,并不是一切都旨在常春藤.florence001 说话有道理.可以参考参考.
florence001 回复 悄悄话 举两个女孩的例子。对你有所启发:
my friends' daughters:
A. went to gift school,( also big public school) 95% asian american kids, majorly chinese kids and india kids. so much homework and study, asian kids are killing each other( on study) for fighting get into ivy league. no matter how many kids get 2300 to 2400 full score in SAT. the ivy league school only pick 3-5 kids in each public high school.
A 's mother pull her out in the last year high school, sent her to near by american public school with majority are white kids. she went to complately different environment, survived and thrived . she is wonderful 羽毛球手,made into American national team . she became two clubs president in the big american public school. she was accepted by MIT last year. her mom told me she picked the new sports in school and partys everyday. and interned in the wells sreet stock market this sammmer . she found this oppunity by herself.

B.
a girl was A' s long time classmate, they went to the gift school together. no sports( no need for sports) study is her full time job.
was accepted into another ivy league school.
the first year in school ,there are a lot of stress and presure. she suffered 失眠症 。can not deal with her american roommates. her parents went to her school,( from west side of the country) renting a room in the nearby hotal , pull her out sometime to have a better one night sleep.
失眠is the major sign of depression as we know.
my suggestion for B is that 休学一年,to make up some lessons , sports and social life .
florence001 回复 悄悄话 回复 'yuchengongwu' 的评论 : what is 女孩子的花季? like to hear your opinion.
yuchengongwu 回复 悄悄话 回复 'shaoaifeng' 的评论 : 真的?不过,我倒觉得她已经够用功了,她的成绩还不错,但是,她怕失败和出错,所以造成了思想压力。
yuchengongwu 回复 悄悄话 回复 'florence001' 的评论 : 不用。至少,我要跟她讲,什么是花季,和女孩子有什么关系。
shaoaifeng 回复 悄悄话 你家女儿和我家大女儿说的话处境真的很像。 老大现在已经走出困境。 窍门就是努力。 不管过程是多么不容易, 坚持下来就是赢。这个过程包括不睡觉了。 做妈的也不要跟在后面太心疼了。
yuchengongwu 回复 悄悄话 回复横塘:我告诉她,让她知道她属于幸福的。谢谢。
横塘雨眠 回复 悄悄话 高中生每晚搞到十点十一点睡觉是太正常不过了,甚至可以说能那么早睡觉是太幸福了。
florence001 回复 悄悄话 回复 'yuchengongwu' 的评论 : i am speechless.
yuchengongwu 回复 悄悄话 回复florence:是她自己要去的。这所学校也是公立大学校。只是女儿太好强,什么都不愿落下,面铺得广,自然觉得累。希望她渐渐能学会放下。
florence001 回复 悄悄话 why did you put your daughter into such asian kids school? you should pull her out.
only book and homework, plus tons of nerds, 一个女孩没有花季。
when my daughter had chance to go to such an 95% asian kids school,(gift school) we decide not send her , we keep her in big public school, less than 20% asian kids school, she can join in the school sports team, stays in an american school environment. she is a top student, self-movtivted . we are pretty happy with her stay in such school.
yuchengongwu 回复 悄悄话 回复 '羽衣飞飞' 的评论 : 近来,华人孩子自杀的事件接连发生,得给孩子减压啊。
羽衣飞飞 回复 悄悄话 真好,女儿又这么一个智慧的妈妈。
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