I came across a post on my teaching tumblr that wrote about 15 things to give up on in order to be happy. Number 15 was give up on living your life to other people’s expectations. This is something that is ringing true for me as of late. 

My son is a busy little bee. He’s is full of chatter and excitement. Piss and vinegar some might say. I am teaching at his school and each and every day I worry that he is driving his teacher to distraction. I walk this tight rope of understanding and accepting what he is like because of the love I have for him, yet also understanding how much work he can be for his teacher. He isn’t mean. He’s has a ton of friends. He tries hard but always manages to blurt out, be off topic and sometimes annoy his teacher. My motherly instincts tell me it could be worse.

I worry that my friends who are teachers think he should be better behaved. I worry that my friends who are teachers think that I should have better control over him. That he should be this star pupil. So here it is. I accept my son for who he is. I need to advocate for him. I don’t need to go overboard but I need to be the one person in his life that understands him, accepts him and loves him. If that means I don’t live up to the expectations my teacher friends have for me, then so be it.

http://stuffthatspins.com/2012/04/19/15-things-to-give-up-and-be-happy/