Parents Page

What parents have to say to their kids...

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Dear daughter,
I hope that you grow up to have a daughter just like YOU!
Love, Mom

My darling, daring, daughter, listen carefully. You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
I know you think your appearance and language makes a statement. Actually that is what worries me so much. It does. Think! Is this the impression you really want to make?

My son had never been so far from home. During his Junior Year Abroad, we were actually on different continents! He sent me a card that I will always treasure. The author of the poem is Linda Jade Fong, but it was my son who picked this one out and sent it. I had this card framed and it and it hangs in my bedroom because it meant so much to me. I’m sending it to What I wish You Knew because I want to share its simple beauty with other mothers too.

We Share the Moon

There is a beloved ancient Chinese poem
That says even though we may be
A thousand miles apart
We both look up at the moon,
And in sharing its beauty
We are together.

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I am very impressed by the website/writing. I passed it along to a teacher at my agency in Cincinnati, who can hopefully use it as a source of inspiration for the boys in the program.”

Jan Keller Schultz, LISW, LCSW, BCD

 

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I have 3 sons. Each of them has told me at one time or another that he knows for sure that he is my favorite child. I think maybe I did something very right. Or else they are all pulling my leg:)

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Dear Son,
All I can say right now is that at least you weren’t driving. This CANNOT happen any more. Your mother and I love you too much to not do anything.
We need to talk. I know you have gone to this site. I hope you look at it today and read this, because tonight we are going to talk. Changes are going to be made in this house! No more pussyfooting around and pretending we don’t see what is going on because we do. It needs to stop. Now!
Dad

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You ask for teens to give advice to parents. Well, here is one parent’s advice to parents.
Schedule some “just-for-fun” time with your kids. We all are so busy putting appointments and meetings and dinner dates on our calendars and computers that sometimes we leave the most important parts (like our families) for what’s left over. Then we’re tired or have other things on our minds.

I like to make a couple of dates with each of my children for just the two of us. We’ve done things as big as take a week-end trip together to as small as just a table for two in a neighborhood restaurant on a busy Saturday afternoon. I’ve noticed that it doesn’t actually make that much difference what we do, nor how much money is spent, as much as the fact that it is scheduled way in advance and respected as important time—by both of us. It’s a good way to remind them- and us too- how much we mean to each other. In truth, what could be more important?

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I read this in my Rotary Club newsletter and think it’s worth sharing,
--A Rotarian, Northbrook, Illinois

''Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a high school about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!
Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your
Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7 : Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8 : Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9 : Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10 : Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually
have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11 : Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.''

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Dear Daughter, I have so much to say to you, but I’ll start with these four little words:
“Don’t Marry For Money.” It’s not worth it.

I want to talk to you so much about so many things. Maybe this is a start…

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Dear Daughter,
I can't imagine the stress you have been going through these past few months, trying to get into a college music school. Your dedication to your craft at such a young age never ceases to amaze me. You have put in countless hours of practice to prepare for those few minutes in an audition room, where you are judged by total strangers whether you are "worthy'' of their music program. The auditions are finally over, and now you wait and worry about whether you will get a fat envelope in the mail saying you were accepted. Don't worry -- you gave it your best shot and things will work out! I am so proud of you. And thanks for teaching me to love classical music!
Love, Mom

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I know how unhappy you are that Dad and I won’t let you go, but trust us. Sometimes it is better that you should cry than we should cry. This is one of those times.
Love, Mom

Stop that “Whatever…” business. Care! Live as if it matters. It does. The decisions you are making right now will affect your whole life. I don’t want to hear “Whatever…” from you again.

You say you’re sorry and that you want to change. Well, my son, change starts NOW! Let us believe you this time.
We love you,
Dad and Mom

You’ll get through this. I promise!
Love, Mom

My wish for you is that as you grow you will become more confident in yourself. I didn’t make this up, but it’s true. “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re probably right.” You can do so much more than you think you can. Just believe in yourself and give it a try.

This whole college business is a major life event—and not just for the kids! I look forward to hearing from other parents about their experiences with all of these feelings...

Dear Son,
To the whole world you may be just a kid. But you’re our kid, and I want you to always know that to your father and me you mean the whole world. Happy Birthday!
Mom

What I Wish from a Father to his Daughter:

What I wish for you…
I wish for you to be a person of character; strong but not tough;
gentle but not weak.
I wish for you to be righteous, but not self righteous;
To be honest;
To have the ability to forgive;

Wherever you journey, may your steps be firm
And may you not be afraid

May your hands build
And your heart preserve what is good and beautiful in the world

I wish for you to know that there is a rich heritage, to which you belong;
And that you are connected to all the people of the earth.