I think there are a lot of ways to successfully parent, and no one way is right for everybody. I know how competitive it is in schools today (I work in the education field) - BUT, I also think children need to be given the freedom to fail sometimes. I think that learning from mistakes is an important way to build true self-esteem. I think sometimes that all of the pressure on kids and parents to have an edge or be the best makes this impossible, which is a shame.

The most extreme example I saw of this was at an open house for my PhD program. Doctorate and master's students were at the college to find out more about the programs they had entered. A student who was entering a master's program had her mother with her, and her mom was interviewing the faculty while the student sat silently. She was probably only 22, but as a college graduate I would hope she had the skills to do this without her mother's help...