Ecclesiastes 12:12-14 ESV - My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil
A common belief held by many well-meaning parents is that academic excellence when their children are young will lead to admission into top colleges and more or less guarantee a succesful career. As a result, a tremendous amount of resources and time are poured into a childhood of resume building. But worldly intelligence and skills are not enough for a life of meaning and contentment. What may be lost in the process of pursuing success is time to know oneself, time to develop good friendships, time to ponder about God and his world, time to discover strengths and follow passions. As a Christian parent, this verse serves as a word of caution to me to prioritize imparting spiritual wisdom to our children over any other habits of pursuing excellence.