My youngest sister, Cindy, has Down syndrome, and I remember my mother spending hours and hours with her, teaching her to tie her shoelaces on her own, drilling multiplication tables with Cindy, practicing piano every day with her. No one expected Cindy to get a Ph.D.! But my mom wanted her to be the best she could be, within her limits.

I'm a slave to my dogs and go out with them almost every day. They are poorly behaved if they don't run. They really act up.

My goal as a parent is to prepare you for the future, not to make you like me.

I do play tennis, but I don't really like competition. I'm supposed to be so intense, but I hate competition.

Nothing is fun until you're good at it.

When my kids wanted to give up on things, I wouldn't let them, and those are lifelong lessons.

Kids raised to be pampered and spoiled don't really end up being good leaders. Leaders need to be independent minded and confident.