Paul Harvey writes...

Is it just me or does everyone sometimes think we tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse.

Paul Harvey is an American writer who is adamant he made his own kids soft.

He writes, for my grandchildren, I'd like better. I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated and honesty by being cheated.

I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car. And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are seventeen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother.

And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let her.

I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends…

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mum.

I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books. When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee, burn your hand on a stove and break a bone when a game gets out of hand.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it. And if a friend offers you a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend I sure hope you make time to sit on a verandah with your Grandma and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.