I never had children, but I know and have seen enough to know that parenting is a results-oriented business. By any reasonable measure, you've done a helluva job, and you have every right to be proud. The only yardstick that truly matters is your own, and I think it's great that you've made peace with that.
I love this. My first and only kid hits 5 months tomorrow. I've put a lot of thought the last year into what I want(ed) to imbue her with. I've started thinking of them as the superpowers I want her to have:
1. Writing is a super power. Being able to capture a reality and convey that to others only gets more important.
2. Curiosity is a super power. One that has always driven me, and is in stark contrast to much of my family.
3. Kindness is a super power. One I have definitely gotten better at through the years, and one I constantly see the benefits from (even besides it being the right thing to do.)
4. Saving money is a super power. One it's taken me 40+ years to get decent at, and one I hadn't really appreciated the power of until I got decent at it.
5. Helping is a super power.
6. Asking for help is a super power.
7. Receiving help is a super power.
8. Understanding where societal pressure is coming from is a super power ... and then telling it to go fly a kite.
"I pushed them only to be good to others, to seek justice and equality, to be fair and honest and have a sense of humor about everything." This is perfect. The world would be a much better place if more parents had this philosophy.
I enjoyed reading this but from the other perspective. I don't live with my parents anymore but I'm 33 and probably fell short of their expectations/dreams and think they have this view of things.
I never had children, but I know and have seen enough to know that parenting is a results-oriented business. By any reasonable measure, you've done a helluva job, and you have every right to be proud. The only yardstick that truly matters is your own, and I think it's great that you've made peace with that.
I love this. My first and only kid hits 5 months tomorrow. I've put a lot of thought the last year into what I want(ed) to imbue her with. I've started thinking of them as the superpowers I want her to have:
1. Writing is a super power. Being able to capture a reality and convey that to others only gets more important.
2. Curiosity is a super power. One that has always driven me, and is in stark contrast to much of my family.
3. Kindness is a super power. One I have definitely gotten better at through the years, and one I constantly see the benefits from (even besides it being the right thing to do.)
4. Saving money is a super power. One it's taken me 40+ years to get decent at, and one I hadn't really appreciated the power of until I got decent at it.
5. Helping is a super power.
6. Asking for help is a super power.
7. Receiving help is a super power.
8. Understanding where societal pressure is coming from is a super power ... and then telling it to go fly a kite.
"I pushed them only to be good to others, to seek justice and equality, to be fair and honest and have a sense of humor about everything." This is perfect. The world would be a much better place if more parents had this philosophy.
I enjoyed reading this but from the other perspective. I don't live with my parents anymore but I'm 33 and probably fell short of their expectations/dreams and think they have this view of things.