26/06/2025
I’m not raising my children to be the best in every competition, the top of their class, or the most admired by the crowd. I’m not focused on them being the brightest minds in the room, the fastest runners, the most eloquent speakers, or the ones with shelves full of medals and trophies.
Because in the long run, those things while commendable are not what truly defines a good human being.
Instead, I’m raising them to be the ones who notice the child sitting alone, and choose to sit beside them. The ones who offer a smile to someone who's having a bad day. The ones who hold the door open, say “thank you,” and speak up when they see someone being treated unfairly even if their voice trembles.
I’m raising them to understand that being kind takes more courage than being clever. That compassion is a far greater achievement than a perfect grade. That how we treat others, especially when no one’s watching, reveals who we really are.
They don’t need to be the loudest in the room. It’s okay if they’re quiet. It’s okay if they’re shy. It’s okay if they don’t always get the right answers.
But what is never okay is choosing to be cruel. To mock others just to fit in. To ignore injustice because it’s easier. To win at the expense of someone else’s dignity.
Because at the end of the day, kindness is what lasts. People won’t always remember how fast you ran or how many medals you won. But they will never forget how you made them feel.
I want my children to grow up with hearts that care more than hands that compete. With empathy that outweighs ego. With the strength to stand for what’s right, even if they stand alone.
The world doesn’t need more perfection. It needs more people who are human deeply human. People who see others not as rivals, but as fellow souls.
So no, I won’t measure my children by their performance. I will measure them by their character. Because I know that success without goodness is empty and a kind heart will always shine brighter than any spotlight.
That, to me, is what real greatness looks like. And that is what I will always be most proud of.
-GalawangFrancisco
