Once there were two best friends, Elsie and Jill. They were settled in same location, and had children at the same time!
The children were in same school and same class. The personalities of both the children were poles apart; because of the upbringing and the values they were being taught.
Elsie was an easy going person, who took life as it came. She never let stress overpower her in any way. She had a very calm and peaceful lifestyle and she loved living that way.
She instilled similar traits in her son also. She used to teach him values (like honesty, kindness, empathy, independence, gratefulness, etc.) which held much more importance in life than just the rat race in which entire world was running, without a goal.
Elsie let her son follow his heart and his dreams, let him choose what he wanted to do or become in life. She made her son understand that one should take charge of his own life, be responsible, and of course work hard, which is the key to a happy and content life.
Elsie was very friendly with her son and discussed everything with him. Her son was very comfortable in talking about anything and everything with his mother. He was a happy child, free from all sorts of tensions.
She made him understand that it’s important to become a good human being first, and rest everything, including success will follow automatically.
Jill, on the other hand, had different perception of life. She always wanted to be on top, in every sphere of life. She had a lot of expectations from her son. She taught him that it’s important to be on the top, else there is no recognition in life, hence, no success. She would ask him to participate in all activities, learn all sorts of things, as much as possible; without thinking whether her child wanted to do it or not.
Jill compared her son with others all the time, which led to stress in the child’s life. She filled with pride when people used to praise her son. Jill used to instruct her son in every field, be it study, sports, other activities; and never let him choose independently.
Both the children grew up; with different mindsets and had different ways of looking at life.
Gradually, both of them got settled in their respective lives. Both of them were now working in reputed companies. Everything was going great for both of them.
Elsie’s son was relaxed and happy. He loved his life; as he became what he had always dreamt of; irrespective of the fact that it was a very different and unique field. He had no path to follow; but he aspired to make one, he was just chasing his dreams.
Elsie’s son had many friends, with whom he partied, went on trips, movies, and enjoyed his life. He knew that time once gone, will never come back and life had given him so much, for which he was indebted too.
Contrarily, though Jill’s son was equally well settled, he wasn’t content with life. He himself didn’t know what he wanted in life.
The reason for his dissatisfaction was his peers and his expectations from himself. His peers, who were average till now in life, were sitting right next to him, whereas he had given his day and night to reach where he was today. This thought never let him be happy.
Competition & comparisons never left him alone. He had no one to discuss his uneasiness with. He was depressed as he always took life as a mission, the targets kept on changing, but there was no end. He hadn’t enjoyed in life. He didn’t know how to, either.
Both of them led a successful life, but one wasn’t content and happy, while the other celebrated his life.
The entire life of a child depends upon how a parent nurtures his child. Had Jill been a little less strict about materialistic things and taught her son about actual joys of life, her child’s life would have been a different and happy one too.
Lesson learnt:
Enjoy the uniqueness of your child and let him chase his dreams. Let him explore the world more and choose.
Don’t compare your child with others and put him under unnecessary stress.
Teach your children:
Happiness and professional success are two different aspects of life, and they don’t compulsorily synchronize with each other. There is more to life than just visible professional success. A successful person is one who endorses good values and makes the world a better place to live in.
Instead of trying to be best in everything, learn to be happy in all phases of life.
Life is precious and must not be wasted in craving for more and more.