As you point out, American children are exceptions to the country’s work ethic, exaggerated as the pride in it may have become (“The Underworked American,” June 13, 2009). What with the short school day and year, the children lose at least an entire year over their schooling years by comparison with children elsewhere. But all current attempts to fix this “problem” smacks of nothing less than petty nationalism. More than a third of doctoral students and patent holders in America come from abroad, and especially from China and India, where school children work quite hard. What is more, those among them who remain in the States long enough to form families take the vaunted work ethic much more seriously than Americans themselves. Their children tend to excel in school, as well. In short, all that needs to be done at present is to adjust the immigration policy to the sloth of American children. And this simple remedy will do well as long as America remains attractive to immigrants, especially well-educated ones. We are talking about a generation at least.