We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I d know better.

I d really like for them to know about hand-me-down clothes and home-made ice cream and leftover¹ meatloaf. I really would.

My cherished grandson, I hope you learn humility² by surviving failure and that you learn to be honest even when no one is looking.

I hope you learn to make your bed and mow³ the lawn and wash the car-and I hope nobody gives you a brand-new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see a baby calf⁴ born, and you have a good friend to be with you if you ever have to put your old dog 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 is all right 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 ll let him.

And when you want to see a Disney movie and your kid brother wants to tag along, I hope you take him.

I hope you have to walk uphill with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your father teaches you how to make one instead of buying one. I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books, and when you learn to use computers, you also learn how to add and subtract in your head.

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

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on the stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I hope you get sick when someone blows smoke in your face. I don t care if you try beer once, but I hope you won t like it. And if a friend offers you a joint⁵ or any drugs, I hope you are smart enough to realize that person is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your grandpa or go fishing with your uncle.

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through a neighbor s window, and that she hugs you and kisses you when you give her a plaster of pared mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you-tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness.

我们竭尽全力想让我们的儿女们过得更好，而结果却是适得其反。对我的孙辈们，我就明智得多了。

我真的希望他们能够了解什么是兄长传下来的旧衣服，家制的冰淇淋，以及吃剩的肉糕。我真的希望。

我的宝贝孙子，我希望你在经受失败的考验之后能学会谦卑，也希望你能学会诚实，即使在没有人注视你的时候。

我希望你能学会自己叠被子，自己刈草坪，自己洗车--我还希望在你满十六岁时没有人送给你一辆崭新的轿车。

假如你至少有一次机会看见小牛犊出生，假如你不得不为你的老狗送终，那时有一位好朋友在场为你作伴--那样该有多好啊！

我希望你能为自己的所信仰与人斗得眼青脸肿。

我希望你能和你弟弟共一间卧室--即使你在卧室中间划一条分界线也没关系。可是，当弟弟因为害怕而要爬进你的被窝时，我希望你会接纳他。

当你要出去看迪斯尼电影，你的小弟弟想做你的小尾巴时，我希望你能带上他。

我希望你能和朋友们一起爬山，而在你所生活的城市里做这项运动不会有什么危险。

如果你想要一把弹弓，我希望你父亲能教你怎样自己做一把，而不是为你买一把现成的。我还希望你能学会挖泥巴和读书；而当你学会使用电脑时，你也应该学会加减法的心算。

当你第一次恋上一个女孩时，我希望你会受到朋友们的嘲弄；而当你跟你母亲顶嘴时，希望她叫你尝一尝象牙肥皂的滋味。

但愿你能在爬山时弄破膝盖上的皮，或者在炉子上烧伤手，或者让舌头粘在结冰的旗杆上。

我希望吸烟者对着你的脸上喷吐烟雾时，你会感到恶心。如果你尝试喝一次啤酒，我不会在意；但是我希望你不会喜欢上它。如果有一位朋友请你吸一口含大麻的香烟，或者任何毒品，我希望你明智地意识到他不是你的朋友。

我当然希望你能抽时间来陪你爷爷在门廊上坐一坐，或者陪你叔叔钓钓鱼。

如果你把捧球扔进了邻居的窗户，我希望你母亲惩罚你。如果你能剪掉指甲，用石膏做一只自己的手的模型送给你妈，我希望她会给你拥抱和亲吻。

我希望你能经历：艰难的岁月，挫折和失望；希望你努力工作，幸福快乐。