Today marks the beginning of a rather momentous week in our family. Number 2 Son has just, three minutes ago, finished his last paper for his secondary school education, and on Friday morning, he graduates from High School. Americans make a big deal of this, and since he’s gone to an American School, we are now in the thralls of a week’s worth of celebration. Every day there’s a new event, assembly, concert, party. For any eighteen year old, this is the ultimate rite of passage, the moment that they recognize the reality that their education, from here on in, really will be in their own hands. They make the decisions, they do the work (or not) without us standing over the shoulders and reminding them. They begin to choose who they want to be.

But this process of finding a university place and making this transition is a very difficult one. Some people have more success with it than others. I can’t help but think about that. I have often lashed out against the pressures education places on our kids and I often wonder why some kids fall and others don’t. There are many, many reasons. But one recent TED lecture has at least addressed the idea with humour. And so, I wanted to share it with you. It shows the results of one study done and so it, of course, is narrow. But it does present one interesting notion, and it did make me laugh.

My parents fly in from New York tomorrow and then the festivities begin in earnest. You may not hear from me for a week or so. But I’ll be back when I can. And in the meantime, take a look at these four year olds….