Have you noticed that when you ask the average parent what they expect from their child, they often reply, “I just want her to do her best.
The “doing her best” concerns me for several reasons:
- Who is to know what someone’s best is?
- Do we always have to do our best? (Confession: I don’t always do my best…check out my garage!)
- Don’t we have to decide what is worthy of our best?
- Wouldn’t deciding what is worthy of our best effort depend on our gifts, our calling, what we believe to be our contribution to the world?
Our job as adults who care for kids is to help them develop integrity. That begins with their figuring out who they are, what they do well, what they love and how they will “gift” that to their world. Which brings me to the band, OK GO. They have many popular recordings and about the same number of popular videos. As I watch their work, I find myself wondering what they were like in middle school… what their parents thought of their goofy notion of fun. As I watch their work, I am reminded that often our true “work” becomes our most fulfilling “play.” As I watch their work, I wish I could call their parents and say, “Nice job!”
I encourage you to invite your kids to join you and watch the first video; but then watch the second one as well. Use these fun spring boards to talk with your kids about what it means to “do your best” and what different folks mean by “perfect.” You may want to risk asking what they long to do their best at….and what they’d really like to get perfect! Is it time to ponder those questions in your own life?
Kathleen Fischer 
Awesome blog, Kathleen!
That video is AMAZING. It’s all about….. perspective.
Great point. I don’t want to demand of my child something I would never ask of myself or a good friend. My best should be saved for the things that are most important to me. I don’t make my best home-cooked meal every night. . .