Living Through Our Children
July 3rd 2009 02:07
There is a strange competition that goes on among some mothers. A kind of maternal bragging contest where they feel compelled to prove that their little blue eyed darling is the brightest, most clever child in the world. Now, everyone believes that their child is superior to all other children but the lengths to which these women will go are really unbelievable.
I have a friend who is one of these mothers. If I mention Frick did well at her swim meet, she is quick to tell me that her little Ichabod is such a good swimmer that Michael Phelps himself offered to give him private lessons. When I mentioned that Gertrude read at 3, she countered with the information that Ichabod was able to read Goethe in the original German at 24 months. No matter what accomplishment is mentioned, her child has done it. Not only has Ichabod done it, he did it at an earlier age.
It's sad really. These are the same parents who sit in the stands screaming at their child when they miss catching a flyball in the outfield or make an error playing football. They somehow get a boost to their own ego through their child's achievements. Stage parents of the worse kind is what they really are and it is especially sad for the child. Because they realize at an early age that somehow they must be stars or mommy won't be happy. So they spend their childhood trying to make mommy happy by being the best on the team or in the class.
Its a big responsibility for a child, being responsible for their parent's sense of well being. When really it is supposed to be the other way around. Really if these moms, or any mom were asked straight out they would tell you that all they really want is for their child to be happy.
That's what I want for my girls, and niece and nephew anyway.
I have a friend who is one of these mothers. If I mention Frick did well at her swim meet, she is quick to tell me that her little Ichabod is such a good swimmer that Michael Phelps himself offered to give him private lessons. When I mentioned that Gertrude read at 3, she countered with the information that Ichabod was able to read Goethe in the original German at 24 months. No matter what accomplishment is mentioned, her child has done it. Not only has Ichabod done it, he did it at an earlier age.
It's sad really. These are the same parents who sit in the stands screaming at their child when they miss catching a flyball in the outfield or make an error playing football. They somehow get a boost to their own ego through their child's achievements. Stage parents of the worse kind is what they really are and it is especially sad for the child. Because they realize at an early age that somehow they must be stars or mommy won't be happy. So they spend their childhood trying to make mommy happy by being the best on the team or in the class.
Its a big responsibility for a child, being responsible for their parent's sense of well being. When really it is supposed to be the other way around. Really if these moms, or any mom were asked straight out they would tell you that all they really want is for their child to be happy.
That's what I want for my girls, and niece and nephew anyway.
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