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I’m guilty…

Not because I taught her that four-letter word. I spell out all my bad words. She didn’t hear this one from me.

Nothing Means What To A 16 year old?

When my daughter Kay was 16 years old, we were talking about college applications. The problem was that she only wanted to apply to colleges she was sure she would get in to. I’m like, “What?” The plan had always been University of Wisconsin, Madison. That had always been her first choice!

Really, I don’t mind her changing the plan. The issue is why she’s changing the plan.

After I told her that Madison accepts only 20% of its applicants, Kay reduced her dreams to other schools because she was afraid to fail. Bad mom! I never realized my little trivia lesson was going to be negative.

Fail - that’s a word I don’t want in my daughter’s vocabulary!

She doesn’t want to fail? Again, I’m like what?

You want to change your plan because you’re afraid to fail? You don’t even want to submit an application? You couldn’t take a UW-Madison rejection letter? It would make you feel like your whole life up to this point is a failure? If you weren’t accepted, all these years of school, the great grades, and the honor role would all be for nothing?

Nothing means ? (what) to a sixteen year old?

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