I’m at the age where many of my friends are having kids. And I’ve noticed than whenever someone posits a theory about child-rearing they’ve recently discovered, one they’re certain will ensure that their kid sleeps, behaves, eats, etc., the more experienced parents in the room always express some version of, “Yeah, good luck with that.”
Parents who’ve raised grown kids know that there is no such thing as perfect parenting. There is no manual or step-by-step process to follow that will guarantee everything goes exactly as you hope it will.
Love your kids. Try your best to be a good parent. Forgive yourself (and them) when mistakes are made. That’s about the best any parent can do.
Parents who’ve been through the college admissions process take much the same view. They understand that there’s only so much a parent can do. They accept that they don’t get to control the outcomes. They know that kids seem to end up where they’re meant to go.
And really experienced parents who now have grandchildren of their own know that no offer of admission from an Ivy League school will ever mean as much as do the most important things in life.
It’s easy for parents to try too hard and worry too much when you’re raising your kids. Those are good instincts. But try to take a page from the more experienced parents’ books. Love your kids. Do your best. Try not to worry too much. And remember that no SAT score or admissions decision from a particular college should diminish your excitement about the many milestones your kid will pass both in college and in life.