Have you ever found yourself wishing that your children would live out your dreams for you?

It almost looks like it on the surface, but really, it's because we share some strengths. My oldest is very, very smart; good with words; great at math. I think he'd make a good research scientist, doctor...something intellectual.

And I think if he does something that isn't challenging and interesting, he'll be miserable. He's also musical, and he needs an outlet for it. In a lot of ways he's my clone.My second one is also very smart--scary smart.

She's also very musical; great at math; needs to move. I never had the chance to have dance lessons but always wanted them. She's enrolled at one of the best ballet schools in the country.

The schedule is rigorous and the school isn't cheap, so it's an effort for all of us for her to be there. People on the outside might say we're pushing her with such a schedule, but she pushes herself. The youngest is also smart and precocious, and may even have more dance talent than her big sister.

But she's little. And it's probably here that it shows most clearly I'm not trying to make her follow my dreams. I know so many kids at age 5 that are in some kind of competitive program (or in a bunch of programs; it's almost like it's a competition to see how many activities your kids do sometimes).

She's not, although she did have a year of creative movement at her sister's ballet school. But just because she was begging to do it.It's not because I missed whatever those dreams were, but because I think they'll be happy taking that direction. They choose the direction, with some input from me on whether we can make it happen or not.

And then they have all the support I'm able to give.

I don't feel that placing our hopes into the life we want for our kids is healthy. We need to develop our children into the adults they are meant to be. They have different personalities and characteristics than we do, therefore their life will undoubtedly be different, as it should be.

Bring out the best of what they already have to offer. Allow them to shine on their own.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.