One day, while walking through Target with my two older sons, I was inspired to discuss economics and biology with a touch of psychology and philosophy thrown in for good measure. In other words, I was telling my kids that it was illogical (philosophy) to invest great deals of money (economics) into clothing for a growing body (biology) just so that you can look like everyone else and feel good about yourself (psychology). Trust me, this was not like the dry, Charlie Brown Teacher, lectures that your dad gave. As I remember it, I was riveting. The boys were hanging on my every word. They were scooping up every priceless jewel that fell from my mouth. It was a beautiful moment. Then, a beautiful friend of ours, who happened to have been working at Target at the time, who had been following us for several minutes without our knowledge, who was doubtlessly scooping up the random pearl of wisdom herself, says, "Does everything have to be a Life Lesson with you? Can't your kids just get some school clothes?" We laughed. We hugged. I'm still working through the forgiveness process.
I say all this to say, I like to teach. It's what I do. But, I must also say that as an eternal teacher, I am also an eternal student. I can only hope that I teach my kids as much as they have taught me.
The Things that I've Learned from My Kids (part 1)
1. Kisses have magical healing properties (as an enlightened individual, I must assume it has something to do with the enzymes in saliva)
2. Cleanliness is a facade.
3. Silence may not be golden, but it's pretty dog-gone valuable (and far too rare).
4. Saying "I'm sorry", despite the absence of saliva, has healing properties.
5. I am a hypocrite. I am forced daily to punish of behavior that I have gotten away with (and occasionally continue to get away with, i.e. drinking out the milk jug).
6. Floaties left in my drinking water by young children, though gross, are not poisonous as I had assumed for years.
7. Selfishness is a great evil, and comes far too naturally to all of us.
8. Girls and Boys are different, and not just in the cool ways.
9. Love is risky, hard, wrenching, exhausting, and the best investment one could ever make.
10. Sleep is actually deeper, more peaceful, and more restorative after Good Night Kisses. (as an enlightened individual, I must assume it has something to do with the enzymes in saliva)
11. No matter how hard you pray, the Brothers Grimm story about the little elves that show up in the middle of the night to do all the work for the Shoemaker is a filthy lie from the pit of Hell. The little elves never show up!
12. Tough doesn't stand a chance against Cute.
13. No matter how much you swear on all things holy that you will never say the things your parents said, you will one day yell at the top of your lungs, "Don't make me come in there!". I don't think that God holds these vows against us because as a child we don't realize that the shouted threat to "Come in There" is only made because the shouter is actually to worn out to get out of bed and actually "Come in There". Fatigue makes us do crazy things.
14. Boys can be dealt with using Reason and where Reason fails, Intimidation. (I have not yet learned what works on Girls. I suspect it is Chocolate)
15. Sometimes, an arrogant, self-absorbed, busy dad has to say, "I'm Sorry" and ask forgiveness of a child. (and mean it)
16. The Brothers Grimm's dirty little elves do show up to help children make a mess of a house.
17. Skin color doesn't matter as long as you can both pretend that the world is a magical place and we are all invested with super powers.
18. You can never watch a good Disney movie too many times.
19. The world is a magical place and we are all invested with super powers.
20. When asked for forgiveness, and child forgives.
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