Sitting here, I go through my mom's old journals, reading them very differently from the first time I found them.
It was a number of years ago, when I was twelve, I found 1 just lying around her 2 room.That day I read each line with growing 3 and horror.I couldn't believe that woman who fed me as a baby and read me fairy tales had written this.I will never forget the first line I read: “They all want to take me away and 4 me！”
5 I thought of the other day, when she was 6 around the house.I was sitting at the dining room table with my grandmother, working on a fivethousandpiece puzzle (拼图) that takes a 7 to solve.Suddenly, the front door was violently thrown open.My mother ran in screaming at the top of her lungs.
Then she ran into the room and shoved (推) our puzzle off the table, smashing it into the five thousand pieces we had 8.It scared me.9 ， something was 10 my mother.
My 11 ended then, when the doctor told me she had hallucinations (幻想症).I started to understand that her illness wasn't something I could 12.That was when I realized that other kids always 13 she was different when they came over to play.
I always wondered 14 I could do but there is no solution.But dealing with my mother has given me a different outlook on life.I try not to 15 my problems.If my mom starts making strange remarks, I leave the room and call someone.Just 16 is one of the best relaxing ways in the world.If there's no one to talk to, I 17 the violin or some other hobbies to forget about things for a time.
As I think about the past, I see that Mom was 18an entire life.Thankfully, I haven't been.To me, each day is just one piece of the 19 ， one piece among the thousands we spend our lives putting together, hoping it won't 20.
Is there such a thing as being “overprotective”？
I can honestly say that my answer to that question (change) dramatically (戏剧性地) since I became a parent.
Before the birth of my daughter, I taught at private school, often viewing my students as overprotected, worrying would happen when they went on to middle schools.
Some did well, and some did not.Some needed constant pats on the back, words of (inspire) and extra support, which I (happy) gave.Others were content on their own, needing little no interaction (互动) with their teacher.
I'd always supposed their parents were overprotective, for they were the ones that still walked their (five) graders into the classroom and met them at the school gate.
Admittedly, I laughed at those parents, (think) their children would never learn to be (independence) if they didn't let go just a little.Then I had my own daughter.The moment I looked at her little face, I (know) I'd do everything in my power to protect her and make sure she always feels safe!
Learning to set goals plays an important role as your child starts to gain independence. However, setting goals doesn't come naturally to your child, so helping him to learn the process should probably be one of your goals.
Explain the word “goal”．Your child may know what a goal is when it comes to soccer, but he may not understand what it means in everyday life.
Listen to your child. Ideally, you want your child to be able to decide for himself what his goals are. Let him talk about what he thinks he does well and what he thinks needs to improve. If he's stuck, you can provide some examples of your own personal goals.
Help keep goals achievable. Don't throw cold water on your child. For example, if your child wants to be a champion swimmer, but can't swim an entire lap of the pool yet, you can suggest he start by making that his first goal.
Help your child write down his goals in an easytofollow form.Being able to see and check off the steps on the way to his goal is the key in keeping him motivated.A really simple way is to have your child draw a ladder on a piece of paper, writing his goal at the top and each step to that goal on the rungs (梯级)．
A．Change goals every so often.
B．Make a visual goal reminder.
C．Don't always tell him what you think.
D．He's climbing to the top as he gets closer to his goal.
E．You can take sports as an example to help explain it to him.
F．Once he has set up a goal, he may find it very difficult to achieve it.
G．When a goal is beyond his reach, help him break it down into smaller pieces.
