Okay, as soon as I read this, I immediately thought of homeschoolers.
Why?
Because so many seem trapped in this idea of their kids needing to achieve things: grade level, reading level, completion of a curriculum, etc.
What if instead of seeing homeschooling as a series of tasks to achieve, you saw it instead as a series of contributions—to their life, to your life, to your relationship?
Think about reading aloud to your child.
Is the goal to achieve a certain number of pages or books? To tick off a reading list?
Or is the real value in the contribution it makes: to your connection, their vocabulary, their imagination, their understanding of people, story and language?
A math curriculum is similar. If it becomes a rigid checklist of achievements—every lesson completed (and maybe mastered), every page filled out—it’s easy to lose sight of its contribution. What, and who, is this curriculum for?
If a concept in math is useful, meaningful or leads to deeper understanding, then it’s contributing. But if it’s just busywork or causing stress with little to no return (like facts that are simply not being mastered or large multiplication that they'll NEVER do by hand in high school and later on), then maybe that part isn’t contributing anything worthwhile—and you’re allowed to leave it behind.
That’s the beauty of homeschooling. You’re not beholden to a system that measures success by completion or comparison. You get to measure value by contribution.
So maybe today, instead of asking yourself, “What did we get done?” try asking, “What did we build? What did we enjoy? What added value to our day, or our relationship, or their growth?”
That’s a different lens.
That’s a freeing lens.
And I think Drucker was onto something.
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