A while back, I asked a group of teens this question: “Do you think your parents want perfection in you?”

Parents want to motivate their kids. I get it. But sometimes, our verbal teasing translates into a demand for perfection.

Here’s one of the answers I got. A teen told me “I brought home some grades I was proud of, and my mom started complaining that I could do better, I wasn’t living up to my potential, and I needed to work harder.”

Wow, those are painful words to hear. In thirty seconds, this mom took all the wind out of his sails.

Don’t allow your own expectations to infringe on your most cherished relationship. Are you communicating a perfectionist mindset?

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