Happiness is Contagious

If you always compare your children's abilities to those of great athletes, entertainers and celebrities, they will lose their own power. If you urge them to acquire and achieve, they will learn to cheat and steal to meet your expectations. Encourage your childrens deepest joys, not their superficial desires. Praise their patience, not their ambitions. Do not value the distractions and diversions that masquerade as success. They will learn to hear their own voice instead of the noise of the crowd. If you teach them to achieve they will never be content. If you teach them contentment, they will naturally achieve everything.

Authors note: We all want our children to be happy. Somehow, some way today show them something that makes you happy, something you truly enjoy. Your own happiness is contagious. They learn the art from you.

Katie's Interpretation: Relax and let your kids be themselves.
Ambition, power, achievement, ownership, desires, success are all words easily associated with American culture. We constantly strive for more, more more. Although we feel as a nation, very grateful for our freedoms and the pursuit of them, are we a truly happy nation? Does it have to be one way or the other? This passage goes against what I've been taught and what my parents have been taught before me and so forth. Should we break the cycle? I would have to say yes.  I think that this passage may be easily misconstrued, as if to say, "lets make life too easy for them, set the bar low" However, we are speaking of one of the most valuable commodities of this world, which is happiness. Self worth is directly linked to ones manifestation of inner power. There are no winners in the comparison war, whether comparing your child or comparing your relationship to another, cripples the foundations, which ultimately looses stability and crumbles. How can this be the way to happiness? Also, Expectations are often like building a brick wall around yourself. You inside, always disappointed and everyone else on the other side feeling unworthy. Give everyone a break, including yourself, and loosen up. By no way does this mean having low standards, on the contrary it quite the opposite. Having low expectations means you did not give yourself the authority to assume someone elses disposition. Having low standards is sort of a moral hazard, where one gives up or in because of their self esteem. To not assume someone else thoughts or intentions, clears you of the worry and disappointment that wreaks havoc within the mind and spirit.  One gives to the spirit and the other steals from the spirit. Happiness, I believe is won brick by brick. It does not mean you have a sunny disposition because life has been easy and good to you, its because someone choose to take control of each situation in such a manner that would feed the soul. Which sometimes  means making the harder decisions. Happiness, contentment is a practice. And I can only hope one day, my child will be told, like I have been told, you seem like a content person. Well, yes, yes I am because I do not compare myself or my child to others, and I try never to assume or expect others to do as I would. Each person has their own path to walk, as do I.