It’s been almost forty years since I tried to intervene in some decisions a group of teenage girls were making on a day off from school. I was a youth pastor at the time and my station wagon was one vehicle in a convoy of several that were driving a couple of hours away for a day of youth group skiing. Three of the girls in the way back seat were buried in their books. I asked,“Do you ladies have a test tomorrow?” “No, we just want to keep up so that we can get A’s in this class.” “Come on, let’s enjoy the day together,” I said. Sadly, those girls avoided the slopes, sitting in the lodge all day with their faces in their books. While studying is a good thing, these girls were obsessed by the pressure to finish at the top of their class. They were finding their identity in their school accomplishments and class rank. David Brooks writes: “Success in school is not the same thing as success in life.” Parents, teach your kids that success in life comes through glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.