The big lie my parents told me

Starting at age four, my father and mother consistently told me a big lie over my whole childhood.  It was such a big lie and repeated so often even though I know it to be false now, it still feels true and I still act like it is.

Mom was a school teacher before I was born and a full time mom my entire youth.  Dad was a relatively smart man.  I could tell because he had two graduate degrees, a PhD and DVM. - Well, no, actually I didn't know what those letters meant at the time.  I could tell he was smart for a couple of reasons - 1) my grandparents and all my aunts and uncles asked daddy for advice whenever they encountered something unusual.  2) When I saw my dad interact with his peers, they used  a lot of really big words and daddy was the one doing the explaining most of the time.  I knew they were speaking English, but I had no idea what they were saying.

Many times in childhood, I messed up.  In school or at home - not having a straight "A" report card or the equivalent upset my parents.  I received “the speech” many times; mostly from my dad:  "Son, genetics is the study of traits passed from parents to children.  Intelligence is one of those traits.  This (disappointment of the moment) angers me greatly because I know you can do better.  The reason you can do better is that when you were born, you inherited all of the intelligence of your mother PLUS all of my intelligence.  You are twice as smart as your mother or me.  That's why humans don't live in caves any more.  Intelligence doubles every generation.  To whom more is given, more is required - you're going to have to work a lot harder than this. etc. etc. (for what seemed like an eternity)"

Epilogue

May you never steal, lie, or cheat.  But,

If you must steal, steal away your children's limitations, and

If you must lie, lie to your children about their potential, and

If you must cheat, cheat the world of the ability to hold your children down.