I Have Decided School Is Not Top Priority - Here’s Why!

By someone who dropped out in grade 7—and is doing just fine.

Let me get this out of the way: I didn’t finish school. In fact, I dropped out in grade 7. Some people might see that as a failure or assume it set me up for a life of struggle. But here’s the truth—I’ve built a successful, meaningful life for myself without a high school diploma, let alone a university degree. Life would have been a lot easier if I had parents that pushed me to thrive in school but the fact of the matter is I had nobody but myself to  grow up and show up. Parents are something I think about when I struggle or feel the need to have some kind of support but it’s something I have missed out on my whole life. So school was the definitely not a high priority, when you raise yourself you have to be happy just to be alive. 

Sure, I could’ve gone on to become a doctor or a lawyer. I have no doubt I had the brains for it. But I’m okay with where I ended up. More than okay, actually. I have a home, a family, stability, and most importantly, the knowledge and skills to survive and thrive in the real world. I can cook, pay bills, I am still learning about vehicles, can create nearly anything, and know how to survive. And that’s more than I can say for a lot of kids coming out of the school system today. I have begun to hate the school system because of how it has been failing my children during bullying situations. And now the way they create report cards makes me laugh. It’s just terrible.

Let’s be honest—school is failing our kids. We teach them algebra but not how to budget their money. We drill them on Shakespeare but not how to cook a basic meal. Kids are leaving school without any idea how to plant a garden, sew a button, change a tire, or even boil an egg. These aren’t just “extra” skills—they’re essential to life. 

When the power goes out, when your car breaks down, when your grocery bill skyrockets and you need to grow some of your own food—those textbook answers won’t help you. Real-life skills will. I feel if I can show my kids the way to survive their grades don’t matter. I do want them to graduate to make their lives easier but it is definitely not too priority because I plan to always be here for them. 

Our education system is so focused on grades, testing, and academic pathways that it’s forgotten what education should really be about: preparing kids for life. That means teaching them how to think critically, solve real problems, care for themselves, and contribute to their communities—not just regurgitate facts or chase a degree. This is another reason I enjoy being a daycare provider, I can share my skills with the little ones to a point and discuss with parents what is truly important in life. 

I’m not saying school has no value. It works for some people. But let’s stop pretending it’s the only path to success or the best measure of someone’s potential. Let’s stop shaming kids who don’t fit the mold and start giving them tools they can actually use. My kids are definitely not cookie cutter kids with amazing grades and I don’t want them to be. I want them to be happy, healthy, driven, and successful in their own ways. 

Imagine a world where every student graduates knowing how to cook a week’s worth of meals, fix something that breaks in their home, change a tire, grow food, understand credit and interest, and support their mental health. That’s the kind of education I want to see. We would all have so much more if we cared less about stupid material things that just don’t get us anywhere. 

I’m proof that you don’t need a formal education to live a full, successful life. But I also know that not everyone is going to figure it out on their own. That’s why we need to do better for our kids—teach them how to live, not just how to pass.

And if that sounds simple, good. Life doesn’t have to be complicated to be worthwhile.