“I expected too much of youth. I measured you by the yardstick of my years.” (W. Livingston Larned)

This is a quote from one of the most famous essays of all time. I found it in Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People. The essay is in the form of a letter written from a father to his small son. It’s an apology, really. One that I’m pretty sure all of us can relate to.

Sure, we can have expectations of our children, but every now and again, we should take a close look to see what those are and why they are important. Are we more focused on their behavior or their character? Do we criticize them for making mistakes or do we walk alongside them, encouraging them through those mistakes? Do we enjoy their youth or do we try to push them through it? Today, follow Carnegie’s number one principle: “Don’t criticize, condemn, or complain” when it comes to your children.