"Let me introduce my perfect child" About This Page:

[graygables]

Do you know anyone who has "perfect" kids? How do you handle it and do you ever get jealous?

I recently met another family of homeschoolers whose oldest is a cellist (award-winning), middle is an artist (award-winning), youngest a composer (award-winning) not to mention all being far advanced in their studies, planning to be doctors and scientists and not a single one of them has a visible physical flaw! It seems like these kids are perfect specimens of human kind. I have a hard time with that "twang" of, how nice your 10 year old composes music, my 9yo can't even read. Then I just and realize that kids are all different and they can't all be perfect!

Do you know any perfect kids? I mean, other than your own, of course!

[barries5199]

Nah, but I don't worry about it too much. I know that my son has had some problems, and has overcome them. Knowing that he isn't perfect and that he is capable of having problems and solving them lets me know that he'll do fine in life. And that, to me, is more important than perfection!

[PixiePrincess]

LOL Don't you just love it when children aren't allowed to be children???
My children are both beautiful, intelligent and the sweetest things since gum drops but they are still little boys and I allow them to be...
I guess to each his own... but I want to enjoy viewing the magic of childhood in my children until they are grown... which will be far too soon

[Luv4My4]

My four cousins were "perfect" children. Award and scholarship winning baton twirler (yes, I am serious) 2 award-winning wrestlers (one 6th in the nation senior year) and the youngest a straight A student all through school right up through college. Their parents put alot of pressure on them to be the best and bad grades or losses were not acceptable. Their parents are divorced now (actually their father died last year) They are now in their late 30s and early 40s and are
1. bulimic, divorced and having a breakdown;
2. nervous twitches, lost his job can't find another in his field;
3. recovering alcoholic and drug addict and getting divorced;
3. anorexic and bulimic.

In my opinion perfection stinks. I would much prefer my non-perfect family of four (2 sisters, 1 brother besides me) who are all basically normal, well-adjusted adults with good relationships. My kids are also not perfect and I do NOT want them to be. Perfection is way too much pressure to put on a kid and only causes problems later. Don't worry Dawn odds are you kids will turn out to be happier in the long run!

[CRCrazy]

Actually - Jennie used to call Amanda the perfect child - she's an award winning student, award winning musician, the whole she-bang.

I've got to say - they are all perfect children - point being they are perfect at being children!

Every kid has their strong points and weaknesses - some are just more visible than others. I've often had people ask me if it was our pushing that caused Amanda to "need" to succeed. Nope - I want her happy and kind much more than "perfect!"

I've got 3 perfect kids - even when I want to wring their necks!

[RobinKay6573]

I don't have any kids but I am sure the kids you speak of are NOT perfect. Everyone has their flaws!

I use to work for a couple that had "perfect" children. The little girl was miserable and was not allowed to do anything her parents’ thought was below her. The son was a budding artist who did incredible drawings at 7 y/o. I once said to him, "Wow maybe one day you can be an artist for Disney" His father quickly interrupted and said, "No he is going to be a plastic surgeon!" ummm... okay...I am glad at age 7 you have his future planned! Very sad! The family would often get home after 7 a night…ran the kids ragged. The daughter often complained she was tired and just wanted to go home and play…she resented her parents for making her horseback ride. Can you image…hating horseback riding!

[clio]

I just have the one daughter, now an adult. She finally decided what she wants major in college. She's not perfect and I wouldn't want her to be. I believe in letting children enjoy their childhood. I have known many parents that push their children into doing things that the child doesn't want to do but the parents wanted them to do. DD did play softball-she wasn't the best but that was okay. She was in marching band because it was fun, not because I wanted her there. She learned to ice skate because she wanted to. She had friends that were forced to do that stuff and were expected to be the best whether they liked it or not. She did it all for fun.
Clio

[katspjs]

I agree with all the other posts. What looks like "perfection" on the outside - there is usually confliction going on on the inside. I'm sure there are studies out there that show these "perfect" children hardly ever turn out to be well adjusted normal adults.

[Teresa]

I have met those parents. Not the ones you have met, but some like them.
A good friend of mine has one. (perfect child) She has 3 kids!
But, her oldest and only son can do no wrong. AND, he is the best soccer player the world has ever seen!! Just ask HIM!
we stopped asking them to come to DDs' games, as all they did was talk about how their son (or if were the boy, he himself) wouldn't make those mistakes, and could have done soooo much better

And, there is a family in town that has those 3 perfect kids. All on the varsity Tennis team. All in only honor's courses. All with straight As. All have been the Valedictorian. ALL left the house as soon as possible, did not do as well in college, (although 2 are still there, so there is hope) and all are miserable. (and used to cry on my shoulder because their mom wouldn't let them just be kids.

My kids? why, they get Cs and Ds and the occasional F. They lie, curse, scream, and fight.
They also get As and Bs, do good deeds for the community, have compassion, talk politely, and love.
I think that they are perfect for me.