A lot of us adults struggle to just get through a regular day
Making poor choices, wasting time away
To our devices and social media we stay glued
Despite meaning well, often come across as irritable and rude
Fail to juggle multiple responsibilities well
Where our passions truly lie, we cannot often tell
We stumble and fumble, barely keeping ourselves afloat
There are times when we are close to sinking our boats…
As long as we do not cause deliberate harm, we can get by
Not many people ask us what we are doing and why..
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Therefore I do not understand why our expectations
From children are so high, to my consternation
We expect from children what we ourselves cannot do
As flawed as we are, we want all children to
Be perfect- eat their vegetables, behave, off devices stay
Excel at academics and sports, a musical instrument or two play
And to get to college especially in an institution elite
A 17-year old (or younger) should have accomplished a nearly impossible feat
Many of us in out thirties and forties cannot claim
A groundbreaking contribution to the society in our name
Yet our children should have ideas to change the world in a positive way
It is hypocritical to hold children to such standards, I would say
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Our behavior children always emulate
So first we should our own standards elevate
Show our children what a day’s honest work means
Model kindness for them, get away from our screens
Practice healthy habits that they can imbibe
Instill values that will in the real world help them survive..
Let them pursue higher education but not necessarily
In the institutions that are highly coveted by the majority..
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As I pen these lines myself I remind
That the right path to pursue I am still trying to find
So that I don’t end up bring a hypocrite
That I do what I expect from my child to the last bit
Passion...unbridled 