Under Pressure

 

Whether it’s Tiger Dads, Type-A personalities, or the career-driven, it can be easy to fall into a parenting vibe that puts a lot of pressure on kids. And, to be sure, pressure is a good thing. Pressure is what establishes that high expectations are better than low or no expectations. And pressure is what human beings will face out in the world, so feeling some from your own parents is a good way to prepare to stand on your own when you’re out of the nest. 

But, obviously, pressure can have negative consequences. And, because of that, I think I’ve tried hard to intentionally throttle down. I truly don’t want my kids to “follow in my footsteps” unless they desire those things on their own; far more important to me is that they find what unique footsteps they want to take. And, I honestly couldn’t care less if they are rich and successful, so long as they are a contributing member of society and learn how to live within their means (whether those means are expansive or tight). 

Kids today inherently face a lot of pressure. I’m sure my kids feel a lot of pressure from me. I hope they will respond favorably to it and chart their own courses to a life that they fully own and embrace. And I hope they learn to set their own expectations, give grace when they fall short of those expectations, and take pride when they meet or exceed them.