I'm really bothered by the last four posts!
I hope that in the years to come all this gets resolved... I honestly think most parents do the best they can, but mistakes are made.
I know I put a ton of pressure on my daughter, FIRST BORN, but it was misplaced pride. Yet, when some parents were saying, "Oh you are the prettiest, the smartest, blah, blah blah," I would tell BOTH KIDS, "The world is a competitive place. You need to be the best YOU can be because in this world there will always be someone who is richer, smarter, prettier/better looking than you." This was in context of them seeing other kids with more money, better at athletics/popularity/talents or with parents who threw a praise-a-thon every time their kid remembered to flush the toilet... I certainly didn't hold back on the praise, I just really meant it when I said it and they KNEW this. I TRIED NOT TO CRITICIZE, but the WORDS a parent says are often NOT heard and a totally different meaning is interpreted. Yet, maybe that's why they trust my opinion. THEN again, maybe I see some things that would have been different if I had just poured on the syrup. WE WILL NEVER KNOW IF WE DID IT RIGHT OR CAUSED DAMAGE TILL IT'S TOO LATE! These are the kinds of questions PARENTS must deal with.
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