Please Stop Using "Rigorous"

So, I am starting to hate the word "rigorous."  In almost any conversation about education these days, this word is brought up.  We need to provide a rigorous education, we need to have rigorous standards, rigorous classroom instruction, rigorous teaching.  What does rigorous actually mean?  It means high standards, right?  Challenging work.  Nope.

rig·or·ous

: very strict and demanding

: done carefully and with a lot of attention to detail

: difficult to endure because of extreme conditions

Synonyms

austere, authoritarian, flinty, hard, harsh, heavy-handed,ramrod, rigid, severe, stern, strict, tough

I want my child's education to be a lot of things-challenging, innovative, hands-on, engaging.  But in no way do I want my child's education to be harsh or heavy-handed.

What word or words would you use to describe education?