I Don't Want My Kids to Be Successful

Have you seen the adorable 12-year-old on "America's Got Talent" singing with the ukulele?

She is quite talented. During the backstage interviews, her mom mentioned something that made me cringe. She said that she wanted her daughter to be successful at everything she tried. I understand what she was saying, it is heartbreaking to watch your kids fail, but right away I thought it was stupid to wish for something that you know, in reality, will never happen. But then I began to think about it. I really DON'T want my kids to succeed at everything they try.

Failure teaches:

1) Things don't always end up the way you plan. It's not the end of the world. Change your plan and go again.

2) Look for what you did wrong. What can you learn from this failure? What will you do differently next time?

3) You learn how tough you really are. If things are always good or easy, you can't grow, you won't be challenged. Hard times teach you how strong you can be.

4) There are good people and not so good people around you. Failure turns a light onto the people in your life. Will they support you? Will they enable you? Will they leave? Which of these people do you truly want in your life?

5) It's not scary to try new things. Everyone fails sometimes. If you don't try, you will never succeed. Just try!

I want my kids to try! I want my kids to fail. Then they can be successful.

I Don't Want My Husband's Help at Home

There is a commercial from India going around the internet: 

I like the theme of the commercial, and I realize it is written for an audience in India, not America, but it is still something we all talk about as wives and mothers. We are constantly looking for our husbands to "help" around the house. It would make us so happy, right?

That word is what bugs me. Do I "help" around the house? No, I work, I organize, I decide, I lead, I delegate. (And, yes, I work 30 hours a week besides my responsibilities at home.)

Does a man show up at work to "help out?" I don't think so, he goes to work to take pride in his job, to put his best foot forward, to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. Yet, he walks in the door of his own home and retreats to a helper.

I don't want a helper. I want a partner who puts his whole heart and soul into making our home and family a success. He doesn't need to have all the answers (I don't either). He doesn't need to work non-stop (I don't either). He doesn't need to be in charge of everything all the time, but taking some of the responsibility for the kind of home we create would be fantastic.

Don't be a Helper, Be a Partner!