上次文章里面我介绍说美国家长和学生对体育，音乐，艺术特别的重视，我也一直在思考，体育，音乐，艺术既要大量的时间和精力，还是个烧钱的活，材料，器材，装备，样样都要钱。最简单的，美国公立学校高中，学生不用一分钱学费，很多私立走读学校一年的学费不到两万美金，但儿子一个乐队的队服要大几百美金，乐队一把萨克斯在美国要好几千美金，如果加上校内外的训练，比赛各种花销可真不是一个家庭总收入中的小比例数目。
那么美国学生和家长花这么多时间和金钱在体育，音乐，或艺术上他们的收获会是哪些？我一直也没有想全，想清楚。
今天一个朋友分享了一个帖子，是美国一位叫DaveFulk的企业家、作家，2017年6月在Linkdedin网络上发的一个帖子，解释为什么花那么多钱让孩子学各种体育项目，我觉得基本回答了我的疑问。
他是这么写的：
One of my friends asked，，，，“Why do you pay so much money for your kids to do all their sports？”Well I have a confession to make; I don’t pay for my kids to do sports. Personally，I couldn’t care less about what sport they do.
我的一个朋友问我：“为什么你花那么多钱让你的孩子练体育？”那么我要坦白一件事，我根本不是把钱花在孩子的体育上了。就我个人而言，我甚至对孩子究竟参加什么体育项目都不关心。
So，if I am not paying for sports what am I paying for？
那么如果我没有为孩子的体育花钱，我的钱到底花在什么地方了呢？
I pay for those moments when my kids become so tired they want to quit but don’t.
我为我孩子已经精疲力竭而想放弃但最终又坚持下来的那些时刻花了钱。
I pay for those days when my kids come home from school and are“too tired” to go to their training but they go anyway.
我为我孩子放学回家已经累到不能去训练但无论如何还是去了的那些日子花了钱。
I pay for my kids to learn to be disciplined，focused and dedicated.
我为我孩子学会了遵守纪律、专注和奉献花了钱。
I pay for my kids to learn to take care of their body and equipment.
我为我孩子学会了照顾自己的身体和装备花了钱。
I pay for my kids to learn to work with others and to be good team mates，gracious in defeat and humble insuccess.
我为我孩子学会了和他人协作、成为一个优秀的团队成员、败不馁胜不骄花了钱。
I pay for my kids to learn to deal with disappointment，when they don’t get that placing or title they’d hoped for，but still they go back week after week giving it their best shot.
我为我孩子学会了在没有取得期望的排名或头衔时能面对挫折，并且一周又一周地卷土重来竭尽全力花了钱。
I pay for my kids to learn to make and accomplish goals.
我为我孩子学会了制定目标并实现目标花了钱。
I pay for my kids to respect，not only them selves，but other athletes，officials and coaches.
我为我孩子学会了不仅尊重自己，而且尊重其他运动员、裁判和教练花了钱。
I pay for my kids to learn that it takes hours and hours，years and years of hard work and practice to create achampion and that success does not happen overnight.
我为我孩子知道了需要日复一日、年复一年艰苦努力和训练才能获得冠军而不是一夜之间就获得成功花了钱。
I pay for my kids to be proud of small achievements，and to work towards long term goals.
我为我孩子懂得为小的成就感到自豪并且不断为长远目标努力花了钱。
I pay for the opportunity my kids have and will have to make lifelong friendships，create lifelong memories，to be as proud of their achievements as I am.
我为我孩子得到的或者将要得到的结交终生好友的机会、产生人生美好回忆的机会，以及和我一样为自己的成就感到骄傲的机会花了钱。
I pay so that my kids can be out on the field or in the gym instead of in front of a screen...
我花了钱让我孩子可以外出去运动场或者体育馆而不是在电子屏幕前呆着……
I could go on but，to be short，I don’t pay for sports; I pay for the opportunities that sports provide my kids with to develop attributes that will serve them well throughout their lives and give them the opportunity tobless the lives of others. From what I have seen so far I think it is a great investment!
我还能说出更多花钱的地方，但是简而言之，我并没有为体育花钱，我的钱花在了伴随体育而来的发展孩子终身受用的品格的机会。就目前我所观察到的，我认为这钱花得相当值！
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