Three Lessons My Kids Taught Me

Essay #3


Three Lessons My Kids Taught Me
By Julia Hopkins
5/7/10

No one ever really stops learning because we will never know everything there is to know. Although, as we become adults much of the knowledge we acquire is less useful than what we learned as a child. Like knowing enough to win a game of Trivial Pursuit or who is on this weeks cover of the tabloids and why. Some admit that everything they needed to know to live a successful life they learned in Kindergarten. I, however, picked up some very valuable nuggets of wisdom once I became a parent. My kids have taught me three very valuable lessons.

One lesson that took me a long time to learn is that things aren’t always what they seem. Closed eyes don’t always indicate a sleeping child. A clean plate might mean a well-fed dog and not a nourished little one. And, an evil laugh should not always be interpreted as a mischievous child. Children sometimes do things that make one wonder if something catastrophic has happened when they are just playing. Unfortunately, some young ones also learn to lie and hide the reality from us. That’s why you can never tell. Things aren’t always how they appear.

To choose your battles wisely is another gem of wisdom I’ve picked up over the years. We all want to be right but being right can be a dangerous thing for which to fight. It tends to place rightness above the relationship. Someone once told me that others will not care how much you know until they know how much you care. I think with this we can add that they will not care if you are right unless they know that you care about them. This is a lesson I have learned from my teens. They tend to think they are right most of the time and only listen to those that have proven their love and concern for them.

Kids do not stay little for long and watching them grow has taught me one last lesson. Life is too short not to have fun. There will always be work to be done, clothes to be folded, floors to be mopped and windows to wash. If we use all our time doing these chores, one day we will look up to notice that our baby isn’t a baby any more and the only thing we will have to show for it is a clean house. Parents need to take the time to play and have fun while making good memories for their children and themselves. Life isn’t always fun however in our family we live by the saying, “Life’s not fair; but you can make it better.” We are not always put into a great life situation but whatever the circumstance, you can make it better by having fun.

These three lessons I didn’t learn until I was a married woman with many children. Maybe you were able to learn these things earlier in life. Or perhaps you’re just learning as you read this essay. Either way, I pray you use these lessons to make your life better.