A lot of new dads and moms enter into this parenting thing with the idea that lessons and information will be a one way street, with wisdom and knowledge flowing from them to their tiny new recruits but we parents who’ve been doing this for more than a few years know that our kids teach us just as much about the world and ourselves.
Here are some of the lessons the dads and moms of our amazing Facebook community have learned from their kids:
Jim Cavanaugh-Spain: They taught me how to live again. I used to get stuck mindlessly perusing the internet for hours in between work. Now I have fun. We play games, play with toys, color, read stories, tell stories, make stuff, or just be stupid. When the weather is nice enough we go to park and play and run and laugh and be awesome. They’ve also taught me that one person, no matter how small, can save a life. I owe my children everything.
Gerardo Iannaccone: To believe in miracles. Born at 26 weeks barely weighing 2lbs each my girls fought every day to survive. I look back on our 82 day NICU stay and I don’t know how they did it. I look at them now at 15 months old and weighing well over 20lbs each and I can scarcely believe they ever fit in the palm of my hand. I believe in miracles because I was lucky enough to get two.
Kâtjã Mørrîßßëy: Patience and self control I come from an abusive family and no way will I do our let that happen to my boy, I have anger problems and my son helps me to see a new perspective cause I didn’t get it as a child.
Shannon Woolhouse: That I actually know nothing. I’m not a genius but I’m pretty smart. The other day my 4 year old son asked me “why do bees make honey” — I have no idea!
Marcus Isbill: That I am worth far more than I ever could have imagined. And I am fortunate to have one that sees me for being me. Maybe he is returning the favor.
Zachery Wilkinson: No matter how many mistakes I make while learning to be a parent, she forgets all of them and only seems to love me more.
Martyn Reid: The Paw Patrol “pup pup boogie” song is the worst ear worm ever.
Miguel Becerra: Watching Elmo’s World with my son has taught me that Mr.Noodle damn near lost his mind….probably left it in Dorothy’s tank last time he tried drinking the water.
Chris Johnson: Silence is scary.
Mattnew Dana: Expect ANYTHING, and they ARE plotting your death…slowly and weirdly…
Wayne Probert: My children have taught me that life is F-ing awesome!\
[I 2nd that, Wayne!]
What have your kids taught you? Share those lessons with us on Facebook!
*Flickr photo by Sayad Mohammad Hooseiny, used under Creative Commons license.