Don't We All...

...want our children to be the best. Maybe it is just plain old pride, but I want my girls to excel and shine. Now, I don't mean that I want to put everybody else down or be all high and mighty. I just them want them to be the best. Average just doesn't seem good enough. Is this sounding a little crazy? Don't get me wrong, I hope that each of my girls have their own talents and strengths and that they don't have to be best at everything. Just almost everything. In particularily, I have been thinking about Sunshine and her academics. First of all, I think that she is bright but mostly she has just been trained. She loves her letters and books, etc. But lately, I find that what she has learned already seems to be good enough for her. Ok, ok, I know you are all thinking "Hello, she is just barely three" but really academics start early nowadays. I was feeling pretty proud like wow I have taught her so good. yadda yadda. But recently I have found that others her age know even more than she does. WHAT??? Is that just insane? I mean who are these kids? Is she going to be considered average??? I know comparing just isn't fair, right??? (Honestly, I will love her no matter what. She brings such a wonderful new inadequacy into my life. I have learned so much about myself and my deepest desires, and haunting fears by being her mom. I love it and am so scared I am going to screw her up with all my weirdness.) Anyway, about a week ago, I thought to myself, "Self, forget about the letters, numbers, etc. etc. and just play with her!" But now I am thinking, I need to break out all the stops. I am going to teach this girl to read before next year! I am going to have her memorize her multiplication tables! All right, that is a little over the top. All I am saying is that I loved school and part of why I think I did is because I was good at it. I want her to love it and be the best at it. Is this too much to ask?