Even right now, I share many of the same feelings concerning my role in my children's success. I have talked about a few of the negatives about it in some of my posts but we also tried very hard to do what was right. I sometimes blame my H but I have done that only because it has been so painful and confusing. He tried his best and loved them to but just had a different approach--I have been lenient to an extreme degree and regarding just a few things he is the opposite. We put all of our resources into them. I thought about beginning to teach when they were very young infants; gave it a try and when I missed them, H encouraged me to quit and stay at home. The next time I taught was when my youngest was in Pre-K--taught at the preschool then substituted (occassionally longer term assignments) at their elementary school until my youngest was in 3rd grade. Then I began teaching. When my youngest had trouble in middle school, I quit work for 1.5 years to homeschool until I got the youngest into a better school. There were music lessons, dance lessons, swim lessons, T-ball games, hunting, baseball games, traveling with us and lots of school trips including trips to many other states and countries, etc, etc. The main thing I chastize myself about is being to involved and to helpful. It's not like I can't let go. I would gladly say goodbye forever if I though it would help them. I really would.