The saying “All Men Are Created Equal” may be true to a point.  A more certain truth is that few people end up equal in life.  Absolute equality is virtually impossible considering that humans are a diverse as snowflakes.  Each of us possess our own unique DNA, temperaments, parents, and we each walk through life having diverse experiences ranging from what we eat for breakfast, who we meet, dealing with the inevitable “ouchies” inflicted upon ourselves while learning to walk.  The differences grow as we penetrate the years of educational opportunities through school, becoming even more pronounced depending upon how well we recognize opportunities for what they are.

Most kids do not go to the so-called “Ivy League” schools.  The ones that don’t will acquire education elsewhere, be it at another school or in the workforce.  Over the years — or centuries — the name “Ivy League” expanded its meaning in our language to become an adjective that means “the best” schools, rather than the literal name for the athletic conference of old east coast colleges, the organization that holds the trademark on the term.

Ivy League Parenting focuses on the unique experiences that lead children be motivated to maximize learning, to continuously improve and grow intellectually.  We look to the individuals that have demonstrated noticeable accomplishments, get to know them better, and learn about the experiences that drive their motivation.  Every life begins with childhood.  Every child is impacted by the day to day nurturing. Some kids are simply born with above average intellectual gifts.  Once a child is conceived, parents have no control over the nature within the DNA.  It’s time to focus on “nurture” side of who the child becomes.

To function reasonably well in society we all need the “3 R’s”: Reading, Writing, and ‘Rithmetic.  What about pure creativity?  Is the academic world stifling creativity?  If you have a few minutes, watch the video above and enter your own comments in the form.  Are the nation’s most competitive schools encouraging creativity?