Parenting is important. In fact, it’s more important than we often realize. Here’s what I mean: It was a brutal backyard basketball game. My four kids were playing two-on-two, and the game came down to a final basket that made the difference. As you might imagine, one of the kids on the losing team wasn’t exactly gracious in defeat: “I didn’t even try on that last play; that’s the only reason you scored.” That’s when I had to step in: “Come on, now. You did your best. You lost. Congratulate the other team and move on. Give your opponent the joy of beating you.” That last line was what struck me as it came out of my mouth. “Give your opponent the joy of beating you” was something that my father had told me after a basketball game in my driveway as kid. I’ve never forgotten it. I haven’t always lived up to it, but I’ve never forgotten it. And now, for the ten thousandth time as a father, I’ve heard my father’s words come out of my own mouth. [Read more…] about The True Pressure of Parenting