--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In my son's kindergarten, they're telling…" description: "\"In my son's kindergarten, they're telling us how to get him into Stanford. By their advice, I'm doing everything wrong, because I'm trying to make him ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/sebastian-thrun-3182_advice_in-my-son-s-kindergarten-they-re-telling_988629.png" --- # In my son's kindergarten, they're telling us how to get… ![“In my son's kindergarten, they're telling us how to get him into Stanford. By their advice, I'm doing everything wrong, because I'm trying to make him happy rather than putting him through as many piano lessons as possible.” quote by Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/sebastian-thrun-3182_advice_in-my-son-s-kindergarten-they-re-telling_988629.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/sebastian-thrun-3182_advice_in-my-son-s-kindergarten-they-re-telling_988629.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/sebastian-thrun-3182_advice_in-my-son-s-kindergarten-they-re-telling_988629.png) > “In my son's kindergarten, they're telling us how to get him into Stanford. By their advice, I'm doing everything wrong, because I'm trying to make him happy rather than putting him through as many piano lessons as possible.” [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pursuing happiness for a child may conflict with high‑achievement strategies, revealing tension between well‑being and competitive success. **In simple terms:** Balancing joy and ambition is tough. Key Takeaway Find balance between joy and achievement. Themes parenting education achievement Mood concerned thoughtful Type advice reflective When to use this quote - college prep - extra‑curricular overload - family decisions - school counseling Key Concepts Child development growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - Is happiness more important than accolades? - How can you support both joy and growth? A Different Perspective Too much pressure can harm mental health. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Kindergarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindergarten/) [Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons/) [Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piano/) [Piano lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piano-lessons/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I cannot even imagine college. I'm white-knuckling it just letting my son go to kindergarten for eight hours a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-farmiga/i-cannot-even-imagine-college-i-m-white-knuckling-it-just-letting-my/) [Vera Farmiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-farmiga/) > [I used to tell my graduate students at Stanford, 'Don't worry about what job you have to pick because your job picks you. Let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/i-used-to-tell-my-graduate-students-at-stanford-don-t-worry-about/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [Even as a college professor at Carnegie Mellon and Stanford, I saw myself as an entrepreneur, and I went out, took risks, and tried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/even-as-a-college-professor-at-carnegie-mellon-and-stanford-i-saw/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [Elite colleges like Stanford are extremely inaccessible. They're failing in their mission to provide access.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/elite-colleges-like-stanford-are-extremely-inaccessible-they-re/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [I never took guitar lessons. I took classical piano lessons from the age of six when we lived in Holland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-van-halen/i-never-took-guitar-lessons-i-took-classical-piano-lessons-from-the/) [Eddie Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-van-halen/) > [I tried a little of everything when I was little. I tried karate, I tried ballet, I tried piano lessons and singing lessons... I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassie-ventura/i-tried-a-little-of-everything-when-i-was-little-i-tried-karate-i/) [Cassie Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassie-ventura/) > [I call myself the world's best faker. It was hard to get piano lessons, it was hard to dedicate myself into reading the music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-thurman/i-call-myself-the-world-s-best-faker-it-was-hard-to-get-piano-lessons/) [Keith Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-thurman/) > [I had piano lessons when I was five or six years old, so my mom got me this little keyboard in my room. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lapsley/i-had-piano-lessons-when-i-was-five-or-six-years-old-so-my-mom-got-me/) [Lapsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lapsley/) > [I took piano lessons and dancing lessons. I was very good at piano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cloris-leachman/i-took-piano-lessons-and-dancing-lessons-i-was-very-good-at-piano/) [Cloris Leachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cloris-leachman/) > [Kylie and I were both taking piano lessons at the time and didn't think of acting. A friend rang mum up and said, 'How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dannii-minogue/kylie-and-i-were-both-taking-piano-lessons-at-the-time-and-didn-t/) [Dannii Minogue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dannii-minogue/) > [I'm very glad my mother didn't let me quit piano lessons at age 10. She said I wasn't old enough or good enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-m-very-glad-my-mother-didn-t-let-me-quit-piano-lessons-at-age-10/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I want to take piano lessons, I want to study at university, I want to travel, I want to do other parts, make another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-want-to-take-piano-lessons-i-want-to-study-at-university-i-want-to/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I took piano lessons when I was really young, like five years old, and I didn't really enjoy that very much. It was kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/i-took-piano-lessons-when-i-was-really-young-like-five-years-old-and/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [“Write it. Just write it. Write it on receipts in the car while you wait for your kid to finish their piano lessons, scribble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melodie-ramone/write-it-just-write-it-write-it-on-receipts-in-the-car-while-you-wait/) [Melodie Ramone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melodie-ramone/) > [At 16, I was going to church and playing music for church, and Dad would only pay for piano lessons so I could play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizz-wright/at-16-i-was-going-to-church-and-playing-music-for-church-and-dad/) [Lizz Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizz-wright/) ## More by Sebastian Thrun > [Almost all accidents take place because of human distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/almost-all-accidents-take-place-because-of-human-distraction/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [I'm really looking forward to a time when generations after us look back and say how ridiculous it was that humans were driving cars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/i-m-really-looking-forward-to-a-time-when-generations-after-us-look/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [There will be no more one-size-fits-all. Education will respond to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/there-will-be-no-more-one-size-fits-all-education-will-respond-to-you/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [I take all day to climb mountains and then spend about 10 minutes at the top admiring the view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/i-take-all-day-to-climb-mountains-and-then-spend-about-10-minutes-at/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [Its a no-brainer for me that at some point our cars will have the ability to drive themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/its-a-no-brainer-for-me-that-at-some-point-our-cars-will-have-the/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [I am particularly surprised that certain outlets look at pass rates irrespective of student population. 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I wanted to vote. I wanted to be a full member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/i-wanted-to-participate-in-the-political-responsibilities-of-an/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [It's my dream to make learning as addictive as a video game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/it-s-my-dream-to-make-learning-as-addictive-as-a-video-game/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [I care about education for everyone, not just the elite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/i-care-about-education-for-everyone-not-just-the-elite/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [Most rules that you think are written in stone are just societal. 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What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. 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