A wise old friend of mine used to say that there were two kinds of parents in the world.
One kind fondly hopes that their own children will grow up to be smarter than they were. The other kind fervently prays that their own children will not be smarter than they were.
And the cosmic tragedy of that, he said, is that, no matter which kind of parent you are, you are likely to be disappointed.
Those who are not just comfortable with, but inspired by, the prospect of their children growing up to know, see, feel and accomplish things they never dreamed of often undermine their own goals because, by being that kind of person, they start ahead of their progeny and, by continuing to learn and grow, stay ahead.