When the birth of a firstborn child is imminent, his parents pray that he will be normal; that is average. But from that moment on, average will not be good enough.
Their child must excel. He must succeed. He must triumph. He must be the first of his age to walk or talk or ride a tricycle. He must earn a stunning report card and amaze his teachers with his wit and wisdom. He must star in Little League, and later he must be quarterback or senior class president or valedictorian. His sister must be the cheerleader or the soloist or the homecoming queen. Throughout the formative years of childhood, his parents give him the same message day after day: "We're counting on you to do something fantastic, Son. Now don't disappoint us."
Unfortunately, exceptional children are just that...exceptions. Seldom does a five-year-old memorize the King James Version of the Bible, or play chess blindfolded, or compose symphonies in the Mozart manner. To the contrary, the vast majority of our children are not dazzlingly brilliant, extremely witty, highly coordinated, tremendously talented, or universally popular. They are just plain kids with oversized needs to be loved and accepted as they are.
Most parents have average kids, and to expect more sets the stage for considerable disappointment for parents and puts unrealistic pressure on the younger generation.
HOME WITH A HEARTBy Dr. James Dobson