Kid, you are not special

[IamK]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/12/opinion/granderson-not-special/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

Editor's note: LZ Granderson, who writes a weekly column for CNN.com, was named journalist of the year by the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association and is a 2011 Online Journalism Award finalist for commentary. He is a senior writer and columnist for ESPN the Magazine and ESPN.com. Follow him on Twitter: @locs_n_laughs.

(CNN) -- When my son was in middle school, I remember attending one of his school band concerts that wasn't very good.
In fact, it sucked.
At times, it sounded as if half the band was playing one song and the other half was playing something totally different. And because I don't want my son to grow up to be a loser, I told him straight out what I thought.


"How was it?" he asked.
"It was pretty bad," I said.
"I know, right?" my son agreed, smiling. "We're not good at all."
And then we both laughed until we had tears in our eyes.

I don't claim to know everything about parenting, but I do know parents do their children a disservice by constantly sugarcoating their shortcomings to protect their feelings. I can't think of a more surefire way to raise a loser than not allowing a child to learn what it really takes to be a winner.
Perry on tough love for students

Not that everything in life is a competition. But if children can't handle competition when it's necessary, or take some criticism, or never strive to be better because their parents inadvertently programmed them to believe they are already the best even when they're not, then they are in for some serious shocks and bumps down the road.

[WingDinger]

1. My parents constantly told me I would be a garbageman.

Most high achievers have SUPPORTIVE families, from school involvement, to college help, to a shoulder to cry on when they fail.

Running your children down, is a SUREFIRE way to have them disregard your opinions, and to alienate you in preference to friends.