http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/magazine/15Battier-t.html?em

Reading the NYTimes Magazine sports article about the importance of the team player who is NOT the super star, not the media focus, not the best paid, not the most sought, I thought about what statistics measure the success of raising a child.

It is NOT his statistics: not his salary, his SAT scores, nor his awards.  It is how successful he/she is at contributing to the success of the world.  Perhaps your child is a great success when he makes the world a better place.  In the article Shane Battier helps his team win games, even though his stats are terrible, no one thinks of him as an NBA superstar, he has little ego, but does the best for his world--his team.  His coaches "raised him" correctly:  not to be the superstar(though he was during much of his life) but to be the best contributing person on his team.  The team he plays with, wins more.  His personal stats do not improve and are, in fact, rather poor.

I wish more parents hope their kids contribute to the world, and stop caring about their competitive statistics.  I once heard a famous theologian give a graduation address on the importance of being a good follower, not a good leader.    That is slowly making more sense to me.