Sunday Inspiration: Do not ask your children

do not ask your children

“Do not ask your children
to strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable,
but it is the way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples and pears.
Show them how to cry
when pets and people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself.”

― William Martin, The Parent’s Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents

3 Comments

  1. Joan Leopold on September 5, 2021 at 7:19 am

    I love that. How true. Learn how to find the beauty in each day.

  2. Denise Almazar on September 5, 2021 at 8:38 am

    Oh how I like this! Thank you for sharing it!

  3. DELORES on September 5, 2021 at 9:41 am

    Expecting children to be more than they are comfortable with leads to frustration, anxiety, and low self worth when they cannot meet a parent’s standards. Yes, just let them be who and what they are meant to be. There is so much joy to be had in “ordinary” things!

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