What father does not take pride in the accomplishments of his son? And what mother does not glow with pride when her daughter is honored for her talents? And what parent does not burn with shame when their children are shamed?

I suppose we could say that Solomon was stating the obvious when he wrote that a wise son makes a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

For modern parents: is this just a platitude—or is it a warning? It tells us that your life is not going to work when your kids’ lives are coming apart. You cannot find your own happiness when you neglect the teaching and loving of your own children.