In the dance of parenting there is usually little question about what the child wants.  Most parents I encounter struggle with finding the balance between allowing their child to have some of what she wants and teaching that child how to cope with the feelings that comes when she is frustrated.  In his recent work, Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman writes eloquently of the research and vision indicative of what our children need. "Emotional intelligence, which includes self-control, zeal and persistence, and the ability to motivate oneself...can be taught to children, giving them a better chance to use whatever intellectual potential the genetic lottery may have given them."  This is an important thesis in a time when educators are being pressured to provide simplistic solutions for the educational needs of our children.  In an a world that is increasingly technological, the emphasis on linguistic and mathematic intelligence is understandable.  Yet the demands for self-awareness and other-awareness cannot be sacrificed.  Such education begins at home, with the most fundamental want your child has, as much positive attention as you can give.  By the time he reaches adolescence, the frustration of this want will haunt you both, whereas the fulfillment of it will be the bridge that will carry you to the joy of being co-travelers on the road of life.