MINT HILL, NC – The beginning of the school year is a good time to remind our children that it’s ok to make mistakes. It’s a good idea to have open dialogue about what it means to set realistic goals and face the inevitable challenges that will occur along the way.  As parents, we provide guidance and direction; we give words of wisdom, admonish and encourage. We do all of these things with the expectation that our children will apply what we have taught them. Let’s make an effort to give our children space to apply what we have taught them. When having the conversation about learning from our mistakes, we can make the distinction between striving for excellence and striving for perfection. When our children strive for perfection, they leave no room for themselves to make mistakes. Mistakes help us to learn and understand things in a whole new way. How we react to our children when they display weaknesses impact how they view their imperfections. It’s important for our children to understand the importance of striving for excellence. When our children strive for excellence, they are doing their very best. They put forth their best effort and they are not afraid to try. Striving for excellence involves making mistakes. We cannot reach our highest potential without making them. In fact, making mistakes, and learning from them deepens our understanding and gives us confidence in the knowledge that we have obtained. Follow us on Facebook @KumonOfCharlotteMintHill and Instagram @kumonatminthill. Visit our website at www.kumon.com/charlotte-mint-hill to set up a free parent orientation.