Forced To Conform

I handed over my child to the education system when they were just five years old, trusting that this institution would nurture their brilliance and sensitivity. My child was beautiful, sensitive, and perfectly intelligent. I believed that this system, revered for its ability to mold young minds, would be the place where my child’s talents would flourish. But now, as I sit in the deafening silence of what was almost a permanent absence, I realize how tragically wrong I was.

The betrayal began the moment my child entered those school doors. The rigidity of the system — the endless tests, the demand for conformity, the dismissal of their emotional depth — slowly suffocated their spirit. My child’s creative intelligence, their capacity for profound empathy and creative thinking, was met with misunderstanding and suppression.

I was told that my child needed to learn to stay, to toughen up, to adapt to the demands of the system. They were bombarded with sensory overload — bright lights, constant noise, the relentless pace of a curriculum that left no room for reflection or emotional processing. They were conditioned for captivity, their natural sensitivities dulled and their vibrant intelligence stifled.

Research has consistently shown that emotional intelligence and the ability to process emotions are crucial for overall well-being and success. A study by Mayer…