My son is, by any measure, the best thing that has ever happened to me. He makes me laugh every day, he’s incredibly kind—and gives me shnuggles when I need them the most. Because he’s growing up so fast, and I’m trying to soak up every moment with him, I wanted to share the top 12 lessons he’s taught me so far!
1. Don’t be afraid to change your mind. When you’re tired, hungry, or overwhelmed, it can be hard to remember that you’re not always right. But when you’re lucky enough to have someone who loves you unconditionally (like your child), they’ll help you remember that sometimes the best thing to do is just let go of your pride and change your mind for what really works best for you.
2. It’s okay to cry! It’s easy to get caught up in the task at hand and forget that taking care of yourself matters too—but as soon as we start crying, we can rest assured knowing our kids will come running with tissues and hugs!
3. Your job doesn’t define who you are! We all need people in our lives who believe in us no matter what happens at work or at home—and if we don’t have those people yet? Well…don’t forget your child’s perception of you. When my son KJ looks at me, he doesn’t care what I have or haven’t accomplished in my professional career. I’m just mama to him and that’s the best job I’ll ever have in my life.
4. Your children are always watching and listening to what you say, so make sure it’s positive! Live the example for them to follow in life!
5. The world is an amazing place full of wonder and beauty; travel as much as possible with your family so that they can experience all of these things for themselves!
6. Patience is a virtue (24/7). If you don’t have the patience to do something well today, chances are good that your kid isn’t going to be patient either. KJ will wait for 2 seconds before getting frustrated. Sadly, I am exactly the same way. The more patient I become as a person, the easier it will be to teach him the importance of being patient in his life.
7. Never stop dreaming big! KJ loves fantastical stories and traveling around AZ. He loves to explore new places: parks, playgrounds, empty lots… anywhere that looks like fun! Every day is an opportunity to dream big on my own and with my son 🙂
8. You can’t please everyone, and that’s okay! Just do what makes YOU happy, and trust that your loved ones will support you through it all anyway because they love YOU so much (even when they don’t always agree with YOUR choices).
9. Try new things even if they seem scary at first glance! You might find something amazing inside yourself that has been waiting for just the right moment to come out into the light! Life can be scary at times. However, humans only grow when were uncomfortable. Get out there and lean into situations where you can grow and develop.
10. Sleep is never optional—I used to think that if I was tired enough, I could push through it and do what needed to be done. My son has taught me that this is not true: when your body needs sleep, it needs sleep. And if you don’t listen to it? You will be tired all day long, which makes everything harder than it needs to be!
11. Learn something new. KJ loves to learn new things, whether it’s indoors with his Dad or when he is outside with other kids his age, he comes alive every time he learns something new 🙂
12. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Being a mom means that you’re going to make mistakes, but if you can laugh at yourself and enjoy life, then your kids will learn to do the same thing!
My son is the most incredible human being I’ve ever met, and he’s taught me so much more than I thought possible. In reality, all parents know that no matter how much time passes, we never stop learning from our kids.
