Our Best and Most Accomplished

Have you ever thought about what makes the difference in successful child rearing especially when too many children, pre-teens, and teen-agers seem to have become "victims" of adults who have missed the mark? We're not referring only to non-caring adults and child practitioners but also those adults who seem to embody and embrace the qualities needed to produce caring, compassionate, involved, and accomplished children. Why does it too often appear that our precious plants and animals get more of the best of us than do our children? Could it be perhaps, that plants and animals can't or don't resist us as do children; that they don’t balk and sulk at the least admonishing, have no ax to grind and no prior knowledge or experience (as some children have) with the myriad of negative forces into which they are born or become infused? Plants "respond" to favorable stimuli or the lack thereof and animals may initially put up a good fight in the face of rigorous training, but after such rigorous and consistent training coupled with the appropriate rewards, the results may be an animal who will do just as we have trained him to do. Now that is precisely my point; Producing good plants, ones we want to admire and display in a variety of settings, ones we wish to maintain through their designated season(s), and ones we want to replant from year to year takes a great deal of nurturing on our part. Very few plants and flowers flourish (the way we want them to), void of perpetual care. Even weeds can’t grow under the wrong conditions. Do you see where I am going here? Plants that you choose to nurture will reward you from season to season and animals you desire to train or befriend will "shower" you with the level of affection equal to the level of quality training and time invested in them. I did not say that they would not be productive for you and would not give you hours and years of pleasure without special attention, but I do emphasize that they will give you their best if they have received the best from you, their owners and caretakers. A former principal of mine used to preface memos as 'gentle reminders' for those tasks in urgent need of completion or attention. I presume that it was her way of saying, without raising the ire of her staff that the due date on a project was fast approaching; therefore we needed to get moving toward its completion. It was quite effective as far as I was concerned because you knew instinctively that she wanted to convey an important message without alienating anyone, and because of the firm but gentle tone employed in her memos, you gladly worked diligently to meet those all important "lifelines" (as I prefer to say) , not deadlines.