{Live} Ten Things My Children Have Taught Me
July 15, 2012 in All Posts, Laugh
They say that children teach us, not the other way around. Whoever they are -they were right.
If it weren’t for my kids, I would never have learned to:
1) Perfect pretending perfection. “Of course it’s supposed to look like that, honey - I didn’t forget the wings. Sally’s butterfly costume is post-metamorphosis, while yours is still in the chrysalis stage.”
2) Master diplomacy. “Yes, while I said everyone in this house shares, I didn’t actually mean that you can use my things.”
3) Appreciate my body. My daughter recently confided that when she grows up, she hopes to have “a big tummy just like you, Mommy.”
4) Think outside the box. Like when I wonder where my son’s missing quiescently frozen treat could be, and immediately eliminate all the normal places it should be like his stomach or the garbage can, and instead check inside vases and decorative bowls that only look like fancy home decor to the untrained eye, but actually double as unfinished fudgesicle receptacles.
5) Do more with less. No sleep tonight? That’s fine. Don’t bother sleeping through the night tomorrow either - I can take it.
6) See that “No” doesn’t always mean “No.” As in, “No, I didn’t number two in the diaper, so you can go ahead and take it off while I’m standing up.”
7) Keep up with the times. I once thought their grubby little hands pawing my overpriced, overpowered electronic gadgets just made my devices sticky and unusable, but the kids have discovered shortcuts and programs I didn’t even know existed. Finally, I can fully utilize my arsenal of iProducts.
8) Stick to a routine. I ask the kids to do something, and they say no. I get mad, and they laugh. Lather, rinse, repeat, giggle.
9) Accept whatever comes. And quickly. Whether it be runny, gloppy, slimy, or chunky.
10) Understand my parents. They weren’t actually boring or strict - they were just very very tired. More than I could ever imagine - until now. When I realize they probably were both sick and tired - of me.
Your turn! What invaluable lessons or skills have your little ones taught you?
Parents and friends: for more ideas, activities, and inspiration for #RaisingThinkingKids, click on an icon below to join us on Facebook, Pinterest, Google+ and Twitter.
Fellow bloggers: join me at Bloggy Law, where you’ll find Simple Tips for Bulletproofing Your Brand and Blog and I’ll help you navigate the social media legal landscape a little more smoothly.
Chrissy – who has written 426 posts on The Outlaw Mom® Blog - Creative Living in a Conventional World.
Haha! This is great!!!! How did I miss this one? Having kids gave me a new appreciation for my own parents, for sure! Every one of these is right on- but I think that one about sticking to a routine should be on a t-shirt somewhere! Actually, it could be your tagline.
Hmmmm…thanks for looking out for me on the marketing front
This was good for lots of grins here! So much fun! And much too true! ~heather
Glad I could make you laugh, Heather
How true about the electronic devices!
It’s amazing what they can intuitively figure out that I must have an “old brain” block for that prevents me from finding all the cool little tricks on my gazillion Apple products!
Brilliant post! I love it!
Thanks, Carolyn! Glad you stopped by