Parents who want to raise perfect children should consider the following important fact:

Raising perfect children is not the goal of many parents. Most parents are satisfied if their children fit in with the crowd. In that way, those parens can be be very accepting and understanding when the child does something wrong, and they can allow him to have unlimited play time.

If you choose to raise a child who is superior to the others, then you will face a risk:

The child may not want to be different from her friends. She may not want to be special. She may rebel against the extra time that you spend with her, insisting that she wants to play outside longer. She may not want the extra lessons and time that you give her, despite your best interests. She may not be able to stand up against her peer pressure.

This runs contrary to the arguments about the advantages of giving your child as much time as you can.

It runs against many of the homeschooling philosophies.

It is also difficult to predict which child will be receptive to this extra attention, and which one will rebel.

The easy response to this quandary would be to suggest that you should be attentive to the needs of your child, and that you should not push her more than she wants to be pushed.

However, that advice looks good in textbooks, but it is less advisable in practice. After all, few children want to be told what to do to improve themselves. Every child wants to play outside for another hour, and later than her friends.

You thus have to decide whether to take a risk. It may succeed, and it may fail.

If it succeeds, then you will have created a superior child, and you can be proud of her.

If the child (not you - the child) fails, then she will rebel. There's no way of predicting the direction of this rebellion.

It would be safest to say that the best way to find out whether you can raise a superior child is to try. It's the only way to have hope of success. If you have indeed succeeded, then you can certainly be proud.

If, on the other hand, the child fails, then do not blame yourself. It won't do any good. You can look back at what you could have done (and others around you will certainly offer wonderful, but unwanted, hindsight).

Yes, it's a risk. However, it is well worth it. You might succeed.

The decision about whether to attempt raising a superior child is yours. Only you can make that decision.