Mom Talk

Is There a Michael Phelps in the House?

I’m not trying to raise an Olympian, but I hope the Games will inspire my kids to try something new.

It’s the kind of hunger you wish to see more of: a child’s desire to improve, learn more, maybe even be the best. A fire in the belly to achieve – not the kind that’s sated with a cracker.  At my house, the demand is more about handfuls of Goldfish than craving sailing or swimming lessons, some impulses we’d welcome. But the 2012 Olympic Games could change all that. As we turn on the TV this week to close-ups of determined faces and stories of how the Olympic athletes got there, I’m hoping a little inspiration leaks out of the tube and into my kids. They may be weak in their genetic gifts for sport, thanks to me. But can I expect that, out of dozens of events over 16 days, they might discover something worth trying? There are the kind of …

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