Wise Words

I often draw on other's wise words for parental strategys, as in the quote below:

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."

Bill Cosby said this, and very likely said it while parenting teens. Those teens who manage to have the self-confidence to follow their own instincts and path in life, will not only be very successful, but happier because of it too!

Trying to please a group of friends, who don't always know what they need to be happy themselves, is practically a sure bet for being frustrated, un happy and un-successful.

As parents, it's helpful to our teens to hear our thoughts behind some of our decisions, so they see our "life logic" at work. Today, one of my teens asked me why I wasn't participating in something she thought I would really enjoy doing. when I explained my perspective that by participating in this event, I was only trying to please everyone, and invariably would fail, leaving me un-happy and unsatisfied with the results.

She pondered this, nodded and said, "Yeah, I see what ya mean, it's like your setting yourself up." Score one for the mom! Message transmitted with success!