Finish Strong!

Parents are so wise, aren't we? No matter how clueless and dense we might have been BC (before children), we bring kids into the world and suddenly we're Socrates -- so full of wisdom and clever quips, and spewing forth important life lessons. We are teachers, they are grasshoppers.

My own father didn't teach me much that I can remember. But when I was a teenager and starting to date, he did impart some knowledge that has stuck with me all my life: "Lynn, keep your pants up and come home in a group."

While I'd like to pass along grandpa's words of widsom to his granddaughters, well, I just dont think my girls are ready for it. Besides, I'd like to think that my daughters are learning valuable lessons from me. But I can't be sure.

When a teaching moment presents itself, though, I jump on it. Last week, while my teenager was studying for finals, I kept saying to her, "Finish strong! Finish strong!" I told her that no matter how hard she struggled in the beginning of the semester, it mattered most how well she finished. Not sure if it sunk in. We'll see when the finals grades start coming in this week.

Then tonight, my sister sent me a link to this video that had the same message I had been drilling into my teen for weeks. Only this message is delivered in a much more powerful way, by a truly inspirational man. My teen and I watched it together, with tears in our eyes. I think she finally gets it.