"The ultimate job of a parent is to not be needed."

I heard myself say that today in a group of people, some of whom were worried about adult children.

We need to allow our children to make mistakes.  We need to allow our children to have learning experiences when they are little.  If I always step in, as a parent, and choose the right outcome, right, in my mind, that is, I will not allow my little children the learning experience of making a mistake.

Most of what I've learned in life I've learned by "doing it wrong." 

Wearing mismatched clothing, giving a home-made present, blundering into the pool or game, without the lessons, can be confidence building.  I needed to do it "wrong" many times in order to appreciate the confidence of doing it "right".

I needed to get out of the judgement business.  That includes judging myself.  I need to experience life and quit concentrating on doing it "right".