Don't Compare!!!!

***************************************************************************************Remember each kid excels in different areas – some breeze through math, others spell and write and read better. Still others are all about history and geography – where we are in the nation and the world – good with maps. Some kids can master two or three subjects and get by in others where a sibling surpasses them and sucks at the others. That’s okay. Some kids are analytical, others think more in the abstract. Some have tunnel vision on a project or task, others can see the big picture, or multitask. If you asked me to describe MY four children and what I think they did and do well, I could list all the traits, strengths and weaknesses. That’s what makes each of them special – there is no comparison to each other, other than having the same mom and dad and different degrees of the best and worst of us. *************************************************************************************** I was talking to one of the 'Moms' I get advice from (very often let me tell you) and decided to share what she sent although she decided to remain nameless in this case. I believe she has a very good point. I was talking to her about how easy it was to teach math to my youngest child, and how hard 'in comparison' it was to teach this to the one above him at the same age. I was actually comparing the two different experiences I had with teaching, especially with six years between them and my lack of experience because of that gap. But when I read back her reply, it hit home. I DID just compare two of my children against each other, even without thinking of it. How many times do we do this? In our hearts, then our heads and out our mouths. If YOU compare them then THEY compare themselves to each other. It goes beyond just school. In their heads it then goes to sports, looks, personality, and eventually they feel 'less' of themselves because they don't match up to the other siblings. I don't yet know how to stop it, and thinking on it honestly, I do this WAY more often than I like OUT LOUD. This is something I found I need to work on, and I am thankful for a mothers advice.