Episode 4: Teenagers Accepted to College

Introduction: The Emotional Journey of Watching a Child Grow

How do you prepare when your oldest child is a senior in High School and will be going to college? In this episode of Message for My Kids, the host shares an emotional reflection on their oldest daughter’s acceptance to college, a milestone that marks an exciting future. This episode is not just a message of love and encouragement for their daughter but also a source of comfort for parents experiencing the same situation.

A Role Model for the Next Generation

The host talks about how his oldest child has set a powerful example for her younger brothers and sisters. Through her dedication, perseverance, and intelligence, she has shown them what is possible when hard work meets determination.The path she has taken is more than just a personal achievement; it serves as a source of inspiration for those who look up to her every day.

Strength, Intelligence, and Maturity

The host reflects on how their daughter has consistently demonstrated remarkable intelligence and strength. She has proven time and time again that she is capable of making the right decisions, handling new experiences with wisdom, and taking on responsibilities with grace. Though the road ahead may present obstacles, there is no doubt that she has the resilience and determination to succeed in whatever she pursues.

Key Takeaways from the Episode

• Letting Go with Confidence: How to trust in the foundation you’ve built for your child.

• Finding Strength in Change: Encouraging personal growth through life’s milestones.

• Celebrating Achievements Together: Recognizing the hard work and dedication that led to success.

A Message of Pride and Encouragement

This episode of Message for My Kids is a tribute to the host’s oldest daughter. It’s also for parents, children, and anyone facing a new chapter in life. It’s a reminder that while change can be challenging, it’s also an opportunity for growth and transformation.

Tune in to this heartfelt episode and reflect on the beauty of embracing change with love, purpose, and confidence.

Listen to the episode in the player above..or read the transcript below!

Hey guys, so today lots is going on. I want to say congratulations to my oldest daughter. She got into college. She got accepted to college.

Yeah, I wish I had a clapper like “Yeah!” So that's pretty cool. She got accepted to a university. Congratulations daughter, I love you so much. Mom and dad love you, and we knew you could get in. All the struggles, all the pain, all the fun, all the laughter, all the tears are gonna come together, and your life is going to really start.

Going to college at a young age, you are turning 18, got accepted at age 17. And there's gonna be a lot of life butterfly effects, things you do and don't do, they're gonna change your future. They're gonna change the course of your life. It's an amazing time, it really is.

With college, you're gonna learn the proper and non-proper decisions. You're gonna have to make decisions on your own in college, and it comes with actions. You know, one action might be better than the other action. You studying one night, reading one night versus not.

So congratulations, my goodness. I knew you could always do it. We all knew you could do it. I just can't believe that it's already that time. It's already that time that you're going to college.

I literally, literally was thinking this morning, when you were such a little girl, and I was taking you to Tri County. I was taking you to Tri County, and you were just so happy. Dropping you off and I had to pick you up as well. So it was a fun, great time. Still is, still is.

And now you're going to college, my goodness. And what's amazing is you're actually setting the bar higher and higher and higher and achieving these goals. I mean, yeah, it's obviously the goal is to go to university, but what I'm saying is now in life, you're gonna have to understand that your decisions are being role modeled. You're being a role model for your siblings and for everybody in the future.

I think that's just amazing. I think that is really, really, really awesome. You literally are a butterfly effect, in a positive way. And I... I don't know what to say. I really don't. My words are not even, there's no words that are invented right now by Merriam-Webster or by slang terms that I can even think to use that would be the right words. I can't explain it.

And being an older sibling, I'm not an older sibling, I am second from the youngest. But I know personally, looking up at your siblings, you kind of see where they're at, see where you want to be at. And even though it's two separate paths, they're still role models. My siblings are role models. Yes, we go through hard times as we get older. And we learn from the mistakes as we get older. But we're also looking at the success. We're also looking at how life is. We're also looking at what we want, what we don't want, what works, what doesn't work, even coming from our siblings.

And for you to be an older child, to be setting the bar higher, that's amazing. That's amazing. Not only are you setting the bar higher for yourself, but you're setting the bar up higher and higher for your siblings as well. Because they're gonna be looking up to you, either they admit it or not.

And we were around the table having breakfast, and you're like, "I got good news." Said the good news, you were accepted in the university. And I saw your siblings. They were happy for you. And now I can see that they're hungry too. And that's good. And that is good. That’s the way it should be, I think.

In a sense, it's kind of like competition, but it's not competition. It's not like rivalry like, “I'm gonna beat you.” No, to me it's more of, “I want that too. I want that success too. I know I can get it.” And that's what you're doing. You are a positive butterfly effect. Amazing. Amazing.

I love you so, so, so much. So much.

And sometimes, sometimes in random, different families, it's hard to get the role model that you need. Because life. And we are so blessed right now. Maybe not blessed, maybe lucky. Right now we are so lucky that we have a roof over our heads. We're so lucky that we can afford things that we probably don't need. Wi-Fi is probably something we don't need. I mean, we could run stuff off of hotspot, but it's amazing how lucky we've been for you to be successful so far.

You're doing an amazing job. You're doing amazing, and I know your siblings are gonna do amazing as well.

Talking about siblings, this weekend is your brother's birthday. He is finally turning 11. 11 years old, my goodness, where is time going?

I remember just yesterday he was at home, you guys were at school, he was riding around his tricycle, going around the pavement, the driveway. I got a video of him. He was crying because he wanted a certain type of food. I think I showed you guys the video as well. Maybe someday I'll put it up or something, probably make a memory platform and put some videos up of you guys. But I think with that, I'd ask your guys permission. Versus this, this is awesome.

I asked your sisters this morning. I asked your sisters this morning, I said, “What do you think?” And they all said they were proud of you. They were happy for you. They said they knew you could do it. I asked them, I said, “Do you wish it was you?” in a kind way. It wasn't like, “Do you wish it was you?” It was like, no, no.

I even broke it down. I said, “Do you wish it was you, where you were getting accepted to college?” And they said yes. They said yes. And I loved that. I love that. Because it shows, it shows that they want to. They want to push for college. And I hope they push for college. And I want them to push for college. And I want them to go to college.

There's careers out there that say “bachelor's required” or “master's required.” I don't agree with that. I really don't. But a degree is needed for higher career. And this is amazing. This is amazing.

And that's another thing, I literally explained this. I said, “There’s certain careers that require certain degrees.” It's not fair. I don't think it's fair. Because anything, anything is learnable. Why do you have to go to college for eight years just to get a certain degree and get a job, get a career, when you could literally go and learn that career within 60 days and not even need a degree. It's filtering. I think it's filtering. It's a filtering system. I don't agree with it.

It's okay. It's good. Everything happens for a reason. And I think it's amazing that your sisters are already following in your footsteps.

I think it's so great. I'm excited to see what your brother's gonna do. I kind of see what your sisters are gonna do. They're gonna go to college. I see that they have, they're hungry. I see they're hungry.

I'm curious what your brother's gonna do. Computer programming? I don't know. I don't know. Law enforcement? He may go to law enforcement. He might. He may seek that. He's a very intelligent individual as well. There's things that he does that I don’t even know why or how he even thought of it, and he just, he has the answer.

So it’s his birthday this weekend. He already has a plan made out for all of us. He has what he wants to watch, what he wants to do. He wants to take a vote on space or animated. So he wants us to vote on that.

Congratulations! This is awesome, coming from somebody who knows. And I, and you know, I wish, I went to university as well, but I don’t think I was mentally, I don’t think I was mentally grown up.

You are. You’re gonna do great. You’re gonna do awesome things. You are way more mature than I have ever been at your age. I promise. I promise.

And someday, when you hear this recording, I really want you to remember that you are very, very, very smart. You are strong. You are capable of doing a lot. And sometimes, you’re gonna struggle. But I promise you, most of those struggles that you're gonna be going through, you’re going to forget about them in time.

That’s with almost every struggle that you’re gonna go across. Either it’s gonna be you lost your job, or didn’t lose your job, you... I’m just thinking of the worst scenario: losing your job. I’m not saying you’re gonna lose your job.

Maybe your job, maybe there was another boss that came in, or somebody bought the company and you need to think and go somewhere else. Or maybe you’re losing your car. Or maybe you don’t know what to do in life. Maybe you’re gonna be 30-some years old and life’s gonna hit you, and you’re gonna kind of reflect on what you did.

I promise you, you’re so smart, you will come up with the answer. You will come up with the answer.

You’re a brilliant, brilliant child. You all are.

I love you, babies. And no matter how old you are, you’ll still be my babies. I love you.

And here’s another message for my kids.