The Brightest and Smartest

Its official I am a schmuck of a parent. I was watching Oprah and she had all sorts of talented children on, including a three year old drummer, seven year old concert pianist, seven year old championship ball room dancers, and the two and half year old who can point out countries on the map I have never even heard of. My children, well they can create collateral damage in room in three seconds flat, resulting in hours of clean up for mommy. Like every parent I truly believe that my children are the brightest, smartest children around until I watch a program with these super achievers, then I feel like I have been a waste as a parent because I have not pushed my children to super excel, which of course because they are the brightest, smartest children around they could have done with a little parental encouragement. I try to delude myself into thinking that “Well at least my children are well rounded, because I allow them to play and be a child, rather than focus all their energy on a talent that by the time they are adults will be mediocre at best because everyone else will have caught up with them.” But it still does not dilute my feelings of inadequacy as a parent when I engage in the time honored tradition of comparing my children to other children.

Then I realize that my children don’t know that they are not the brightest, smartest children, because every day I reflect to them that I believe they are the brightest, smartest children. I am the only one doing any comparison. As long as I am their mommy I will continue to tell them how wonderful they are, so someday when the world sucks the innocence out of them and they realize that there are lots of talented people in the world they will always know their mommy thought they were the brightest and the smartest.