Breaking the cycle

I've been thinking a lot lately about how to get my children to realize their potential. I mean, they've been blessed with so many talents, and yet they take them for granted and constantly want to do something different. I have NO problem with this, but coming from a person that only feels semi-adequate at a lot of things (not to mention that my mom feels exactly the same way), I thought it'd be nice to break this cycle.

So tonight, as we're finishing up dinner, I bring up how Heavenly Father has blessed everyone with talents. After defining WHAT a talent IS, I commented on how amazing it is that Aliza has this voice that she's never taking lessons for. Or that she naturally knows how to ad lib and memorize lines in her shows. Grace was told how she was born with this strong, muscled body that can out-run, out-swim, out-bike, out-kick kids her age and older.

But my intentions were not just to compliment. I really wanted them to see how special they are and that we should develop our talents, not just become mediocre and quit.

It even went so far as to me relating the story about a man who holds a candle under a bushel, instead of letting the light shine for the whole world to see. At least that's how I remembered the story :)

So who knows what they're thinking at this point! Maybe they're understanding that their Heavenly Father made them special, and they should be proud, or maybe they'll slink back to wanting to be "normal", whatever THAT is. But I throw out a proposition: I'm making them take something musical; whether it be piano, voice lessons, guitar or what not.

It can be nice being in charge...