--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If parents are aiming at choosing…" description: "\"If parents are aiming at choosing children who will be good athletes, or great musicians, or who will get into Ivy League schools, or who will be tall ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/michael-sandel-10344_athlete_if-parents-are-aiming-at-choosing-childr_105724.jpg" --- # If parents are aiming at choosing children who will be… ![“If parents are aiming at choosing children who will be good athletes, or great musicians, or who will get into Ivy League schools, or who will be tall enough to make the basketball team, then there is a danger that the life of the child will bear the burden of that expectation; and the risk of…” quote by Michael Sandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/michael-sandel-10344_athlete_if-parents-are-aiming-at-choosing-childr_105724.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/michael-sandel-10344_athlete_if-parents-are-aiming-at-choosing-childr_105724.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/michael-sandel-10344_athlete_if-parents-are-aiming-at-choosing-childr_105724.jpg) > “If parents are aiming at choosing children who will be good athletes, or great musicians, or who will get into Ivy League schools, or who will be tall enough to make the basketball team, then there is a danger that the life of the child will bear the burden of that expectation; and the risk of disappointment and the cost of disappointment will be even higher than they are now, and even now they can be considerable.” [Michael Sandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sandel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Parental pressure to achieve specific elite outcomes can burden children with unrealistic expectations, leading to heightened disappointment and emotional cost. **In simple terms:** High expectations can harm a child’s well‑being. Key Takeaway Expectations must match a child’s autonomy. Themes parenting ethics education psychology Mood concerned thoughtful Type ethical reflection parenting advice When to use this quote - college admissions counseling - sports scouting - family therapy Key Concepts instrumentalization psychological burden Practical Applications - Encourage intrinsic motivation - set flexible goals Questions to Reflect On - How can parents balance guidance with freedom? - What signs indicate pressure is becoming harmful? A Different Perspective Some structured guidance can foster discipline and skill development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Basketball team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball-team/) [Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bears/) [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Good athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-athlete/) [Great music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-music/) [Great musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-musician/) [Great Musicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-musicians/) [Ivy league](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ivy-league/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) ## Related quotes > [As I've gotten older, I've felt I have more authority on that subject. 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Ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urban-meyer/i-think-percy-harvin-is-as-good-an-athlete-that-s-played-football-ever/) [Urban Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urban-meyer/) > [I wasn't disciplined at all. As good of an athlete as I was, I was not disciplined. Had I had the drive that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/i-wasn-t-disciplined-at-all-as-good-of-an-athlete-as-i-was-i-was-not/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [It's interesting. I've known quite a few good athletes that can't begin to play a beat on the drum set. Most team sport is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/it-s-interesting-i-ve-known-quite-a-few-good-athletes-that-can-t/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) ## More by Michael Sandel > [It is true that the Jewish tradition emphasizes the moral mandate to save life. 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It's presented as a science of social choice that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sandel/today-if-you-look-at-most-economic-textbooks-economics-is-not-defined/) [Michael Sandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sandel/) > [I do think it is very important that the religious communities do try to bring their teachings and their insights to bear on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sandel/i-do-think-it-is-very-important-that-the-religious-communities-do-try/) [Michael Sandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sandel/) > [I am trying to get at the moral arguments and the ethical status of various attempts at enhancement, or genetic engineering, or the bid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sandel/i-am-trying-to-get-at-the-moral-arguments-and-the-ethical-status-of/) [Michael Sandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sandel/) > [To argue about justice is unavoidably to argue about virtues, about substantive moral and even spiritual questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sandel/to-argue-about-justice-is-unavoidably-to-argue-about-virtues-about/) [Michael Sandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sandel/) > [Very often when we aim at the best, or what we may think is the best for our children, we aim really at lesser…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sandel/very-often-when-we-aim-at-the-best-or-what-we-may-think-is-the-best/) [Michael Sandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sandel/) > [Democracy does not require perfect equality, but it does require that citizens share a common life. 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