It was a time when women did not have jobs, let alone become published authors. Not respectable women, anyway. And yet there Jane Austen’s father was, submitting Jane’s writings to a publisher. “As I am well aware of what consequence it is that a work of this sort should make its first appearance under a respectable name I apply to you,” he wrote to the well- known publisher Cadell, according to Claire Tomalin’s book Jane Austen: A Life.
Being a fan of your kids is not just rooting for them at the occasional soccer game. It’s not just telling them they’re special. It’s also putting yourself out there, taking risks for them. It’s being willing to defy conventions, to encourage them to defy conventions if they feel their calling demands it.
You tried your whole life to raise a kid who is comfortable with themselves, who is confident, who is competent, who could be successful. When your efforts begin to bear fruit, real challenges will sprout up alongside. As they push the boundaries of their comfort zone, they may well push you out of yours. But that’s good! That’s what we want! We have to believe in our kids. To be their fans. To be willing to risk with and for them. If we don’t believe in our kids, who will? Be a real fan. It’s not easy, but where would the world be if great parents had always taken the easy route?