第1部分(第2/7 頁)

　children　have　received　the　best　education　available。

One　day　in　1996；　one　of　my　children　came　home　disillusioned　with　school。　He　was　bored　and　tired　of　studying。　〃Why　should　I　put　time　into　studying　subjects　I　will　never　use　in　real　life？〃　he　protested。

Without　thinking；　I　responded；　〃Because　if　you　don't　get　good　grades；　you　won't　get　into　college。〃

〃Regardless　of　whether　I　go　to　college；〃　he　replied；　〃I'm　going　to　be　rich。〃

〃If　you　don't　graduate　from　college；　you　won't　get　a　good　job；〃　I　responded　with　a　tinge　of　panic　and　motherly　concern。　〃And　if　you　don't　have　a　good　job；　how　do　you　plan　to　get　rich？〃

My　son　smirked　and　slowly　shook　his　head　with　mild　boredom。　We　have　had　this　talk　many　times　before。　He　lowered　his　head　and　rolled　his　eyes。　My　words　of　motherly　wisdom　were　falling　on　deaf　ears　once　again。

Though　smart　and　strong…willed；　he　has　always　been　a　polite　and　respectful　young　man。

〃Mom；〃　he　began。　It　was　my　turn　to　be　lectured。　〃Get　with　the　times！　Look　around；　the　richest　people　didn't　get　rich　because　of　their　educations。　Look　at　Michael　Jordan　and　Madonna。　Even　Bill　Gates；　who　dropped　out　of　Harvard；　founded　Microsoft；　he　is　now　the　richest　man　in　America；　and　he's　still　in　his　30s。　There　is　a　baseball　pitcher　who　makes　more　than　4　million　a　year　even　though　he　has　been　labeled　‘mentally　challenged。'　〃

There　was　a　long　silence　between　us。　It　was　dawning　on　me　that　I　was　giving　my　son　the　same　advice　my　parents　had　given　me。　The　world　around　us　has　changed；　but　the　advice　hasn't。

Getting　a　good　education　and　making　good　grades　no　longer　ensures　success；　and　nobody　seems　to　have　noticed；　except　our　children。

〃Mom；〃　he　continued；　〃I　don't　want　to　work　as　hard　as　you　and　dad　do。　You　mak