"**One of the biggest mistakes we make as parents is to assume personal responsibility for our children’s emotions**. As Dr. [[Janesta Noland]], a respected pediatrician in [[Silicon Valley]], argues, “**Parents are so compelled to hold their child’s happiness … they feel like they are responsible for it, and that they control it**.” "We’ll do anything to prevent our children from struggling or suffering, **which means that they never have to deal with hardships or adversity. As a result, they lack independence and grit, and they’re fearful of the world around them instead of empowered to innovate and create**. "Another big mistake: We teach them to focus almost exclusively on themselves and their own performance — because they must have a perfect grade point average, must be selected by a top-tier college, must find an impressive job. **They are so busy focusing on themselves that they rarely have time to consider how they might help and serve others**. Kindness and gratitude are often overlooked, even though these are the qualities that research shows will make us most happy in life." --- **Tags** -- [[quotes]], [[team-work]], [[emotions]], [[parenting]], [[happiness]], [[resilience]], [[adversity]], **Source** -- [[20250101093750 - B - How to Raise Successful People]]