My only child has a birthday coming in a few days. Every birthday reminds me of a harder time in my life, but a time when I was resilient. Nothing could or would keep me from doing what I wanted, and nothing did.

I dare say that I’ve grown up as my son has and I’ve learned a lot…knowing that being able to learn and grow is the foundation of a better life, I started my journey early.

We only get one shot on the planet, I’ve been telling my son about the real world since he was much smaller. Keeping your children in the dark about the world is the worst thing you can do to their future. After all, as a parent its our job to prepare them for life and hope they make it successful. Don’t handicap them with ignorance.

I tell my boy I want him to do better than me, better than my dad and better than my grandma. We work our asses off, hours on end, I don’t want him to work so hard.

He laughs but I know it’ll ring in his head later. Liking what you do is great but let’s face it, you don’t get to start out that way unless you know people. I am brutally honest with my son because he has to do better.

Looking back on your generation and the ones before it..does the situation improve? What do you tell your children about success in their future?

There’s an expression that “…youth is wasted on the young’, I don’t know who said it. I never understood that until recently. Now? I’m determined to find a way to recapture that youth.

I’ve met people who have incredible internal energy without a need for caffiene, etc. I wish I had that natural energy still! They make me very jealous because I’m dependant.

I have to confess, its easy for me to pick up a habit. Like coffee, if the coffee is good I’ll likely drink too much. I have the same problem with whiskey though that vice is admittedly more fun.

Back to the topic though, youth being wasted on the young, truer words were never spoken. No matter how hard I try to impart my knowledge to my son, he resists. Such is the attitude of the young. I could save him so much time, energy and effort, and I hope one day he remembers what I’ve told him.

I wonder what it is about our youth that makes us so determined to reinvent the wheel and learn everything the hard way? Were you a rare one that learned from others in your youth?

How do you get through to your children? Do you think they listen? What’s the most important lesson you think there is for your child(ren) to learn from you?