Why is it so hard for us as parents to watch our children fail? It’s antithetical to the whole parenting enterprise, isn’t it? We work hard for years to ensure that our children have the tools to succeed. It’s heartbreaking for us when they experience hurt, fear, and sadness. We want to rush in and pick them up and set them back on their feet. But here is the crux of the matter: We need to step back and allow ourselves to be vulnerable too – to fail at protecting our children from their feelings.