I have raised, or almost raised, two completely different girls. One who was so self motivated academicly we had to step in on occassion and tell her to have some fun. All she wanted was to be the best in her studies. She did very well and got into a good college with great scholarships but soon realized she had missed out on a lot of fun. So she began to have fun! She has managed to keep her academics up but she is less motivated to make that her primary goal. I think shes finding a healthy balance. Will she be succesful out in the world I do not know. I do think she has a love of knowledge and a love of people places and experiences.

Now the second is very social, not totally outgoing but aware and concerned with everyone around her. She is perceptive and intuitive but not at all academicly motivated. If it were possible to squish all school work into two hours and spend the rest of the school day interacting with others shed be a happy camper. Her first grade teacher once described her as a girl who has a big comfy couch in her head and she enjoys going there when things get too stressful in the learning world.

They are both creative and I believe happy in their own skin. To me that is what matters at this point. They care about the world and others around them. Will they be earning money hand over fist...I don't think so.