My oldest cannot stand school and would much rather spend all day trying to draw, or dance, or exercise, than reciting what he considers nonsense facts all day. I was similar but eventually grew out of it when I hit college (something about college just jived with me even though I went to an Art school, it was regimented but I preferred the ideas, where grade school always felt like being programmed). Hes only 10 and my wife and I have already decided that as long as he eventually graduates we're happy. Right now the most important thing I see is teaching him to be cunning andresponsible, to always have a plan B and to maximize his resources and grow them. He seems pretty committed to being a boxer (by his own choice, I've never told him he had to be or even should be), but I want to make sure he's not rendered broke and useless after his career, and is so secure he can exit any time and pursue another interest.
Right now we are visiting Florida as I have an Aunt who is passing away (she has ALS). Seeing her in Hospice in a sub-par facility because she never saved money or advanced her career when she was at her peak is a cold hard reality-check. After years of hovering around lower-management jobs in retail and fast food, she finally got one of those scam degrees from.TV advertised "Colleges" but surprisingly it worked for her and she became a medical billing specialist for a major Hospital in Virginia, then transferred back to Florida when some Family eventually moved back. She functioned well in that environment but was just not very responsible. Florida has put my Mother through the ringer with regards to what to do with her ever since she got sick, as we arent wealthy and it was just she and my Mother, who has to work to keep the Family house. Essentially there was zero assistance, and red tape with disability, health care, even her social security was very difficult to get.
This is going to lead to a lot of conversations with the kids to prevent them from getting near the end and thinking: "I have nothing."