Just as parents cannot be perfect, neither can our children.
And so, for mothers, perfection v excellence relates as much to our children as it does to our raising of them.
Excellence without Pressure
We live in a fast food culture. Speed is more important than quality. Or is it?
Teaching our children to strive for excellence, for a standard that suits their level of capability, is important. It teaches them to use their abilities, to respect their talents, and to take pride in their work. And through that, they will achieve the grades in school they are able to achieve without stress or pressure, but with the assurance that it is valuable and important to expect good things from yourself.
Some can do more, some can do a little
Some of us are gifted in academics. Some are gifted in sport or music or drama. All are gifted in something, whether it is by exercising their brains, their brawn, or their creative personality. We all have something to offer to share with the world. And when we find that ‘something’ that we can do and can enjoy, our self respect soars.
It doesn’t matter what it is (so long as it’s legal:). It doesn’t matter how grand or how humble, it is important to find enjoyment and success in achievement. So, let’s help our children to explore what interests them, and to build on their talent. Effort is, actually, more important than talent, because effort helps us to grow whereas talent simply helps us to stand out.
Not perfection — that’s pressure!
We don’t have to be perfect. We don’t have to be right all the time. But we must, must, MUST try to do well, to do our best, and to learn to grown confident in ourselves and in what we can do.
Let’s teach our children to enjoy life, to celebrate themselves, and to do the best they can in all they do. That’s striving for excellence. They may not always win! But they will always respect themselves whenever they do their best.
Blessings…