I think one big difference is that at their age, I had nothing to lose! I was just a poor urban kid, and my friends were mostly dropouts, musicians and artists. My kids are growing up in a totally different situation, with more education and advantages than I had, and higher expectations for themselves. My son is comparing himself to friends who have now been admitted to a variety of top schools. I can understand why he would worry more about making the perfect decision for his next step in life and not missing out on any opportunities… but it’s still interesting to see how cautiously he approaches things, compared to how spontaneous the process was for me.
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