I'm taking a hands-off approach to my son's schooling. I don't want him to fail, but he needs to be independent.

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In Florida, where we live, third grade is the first school year students are issued grades in their four core subjects. Near the halfway point of my son's third-grade year, I was worried that he wouldn't pass, so I scheduled a teacher conference. I already knew that my son was more interested in the social aspect of school than the hard work that he needed to put in, and his teacher confirmed this.