Excelling -- More Than Getting By
As adults, when it comes to excelling, there are things we have to do that we don't want to do—and the same is true of our children.
The best way to give someone a hand up is when you reach down - to pull. We are supporting parents and their kids by helping them commit higher standards by asking themselves these 2 questions:
1. DOES IT REALLY MAKE THEM HAPPY? Healthiness is not Happiness
There's absolutely nothing wrong with a certain level of inactivity, fast food, sugar, T.V., and technology in a child's life. That level, however, has to be set at minimal and maintained if well-being and optimal development has any chance to occur.
It often appears that a trip to McDonalds, candy, hours in front of the T.V., or the latest computer game is what it takes to make a child (or adult) happy. Yet, if in the long run this causes physical and emotional health disturbances, weight gain, poor self-image, and ineffective social skills – did it really make them happy? THAT'S THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION FOR ALL OF US.
The irony of life is we end up most happy when we do what doesn't necessarily make us happy in the short term. We're ultimately most happy when we've done the things that afford us fitness, health, and peace of mind. Actions that may have been more difficult choices in the moment, but pay tremendous dividends moments later.
2. IS IT REALLY EASIER? Excellence not Easiness
It's as difficult to enforce excellence as it is to comply. That's the ultimate challenge of parenthood. Why? - excellence doesn't come from doing simply what we feel like doing but by what we should be doing.
Excellence comes by having a plan. The idea of planning and rules sounds strict and painful. And yes, if you over commit yourselves it can be – which is why we don't recommend that. It's common for parents to have too high of expectations regarding sports, arts, or education and end up getting results quite opposite of their expectations. However, little planning and low expectations are far more common.
The pain of a moderate amount of discipline and planning is far less then the pain of none. It's not easy to do things with excellence and to have high goals and standards – but it is well worth it. Go for excellence, not easiness.