Child Development

I took my little boy to get his feet measured recently at our local shopping centre.  Since his last measurement he's grown a half size - now a 5F.  Naturally I was delighted, but at no time was there any thought of performance league tables, defining him as a number or how relevant it would be find out the size of other friends' children's feet.  And I'll certainly not be constraining his friendship group to other 5F boys and girls.  This might sound a little far fetched, but I've actually heard children in schools introducing themselves as if they were a number.

"Hi Sir, I'm Tommy.  I'm a 4c boy"  What can you say to that!  Then often the next sentence goes on to explain what they are aiming for. . . "I'm on target to be a 4a"  which is wonderful to hear, but often comes with no understanding of what the number means.  I even once heard a child say that they had exceeded their potential.  I was too professional to suggest that the child had more potential than their teacher had thought. . . As if anyone knows just what any child can become.  I'm sidetracking a bit there, so back to the shoes.

The thought of hiring a foot tutor to hot-house his foot development was the last thing on my mind.  My job is to back off and let him be.  Let the feet grow at their own pace!  Not to say this is a cop-out; far from it.  My responsibility is to ensure every opportunity for play, rest, sleep, a healthy diet and the rest of it.

Which makes me wonder, at what point do things change. . . . and what would happen if the non-judgemental nature of early child development simply continued and continued our education system.  Just what would be possible I wonder?