Who ever knows if they're getting it right? Life, motherhood, marriage. It's all trial and error.
I have great expectations for my kids. However, with that said, I also know that no one is perfect. Everybody makes mistakes and everybody is different. That's one reason why I just want my kids to be the best that they can be. They are not in competition with their friends to see who is the most academic or most athletic. If our friends have accomplished something great, I think it's important to celebrate with them. Let's be genuinely happy for them, but let's not get caught up in comparison.
In the grand scheme of things success is so incredibly subjective anyway. A polished veneer doesn't mean things are perfect underneath. In an age of iPads and name brands, it can be easy to get caught up in these veneers, but that's not what's important.
My goal is to teach my children to embrace what we have and be grateful for the many blessings in our life. I want to teach them confidence and the importance of aiming for their own personal best - not their friend's personal best.
So, as we soon enter another season of sports and school, I want to be better than I ever thought I could be. I want to push myself to do more, learn more and love more. It's not easy when we face daily challenges, both big and small, but I'm up for the challenge. As a parent, that's my job.
My kids are watching and learning.