Good days, bad days and Life Skills..."All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten"
So our kids are all amazing right? We love them dearly and unconditionally.....
BUT they stress us out, cost us a fortune, change our bodies, drive us to distraction (and/or wine if you are that way inclined), bring out levels of frustration/joy/love/passion/fear/protection we never knew existed....and in general can be messy, life changing little diva's and menace's.
Well, that is my experience anyhow but I am truly lucky in that I am surrounded by the best of friends who had kids at the same time. We are an honest bunch, totally non-competitive we never compare wins and losses but simply support each other as we navigate the daily minefield that is parenting. Nothing is sugar coated and I have never walked away from a catch up feeling crap about myself as a parent. I will be eternally grateful to these ladies and adore the closeness our children have too.
In saying that, our kids also have their spats and moments of "mine" wrestling matches, hitting and biting (ahh that would be my kid yikes!). We are all pretty like minded and try to teach the kids basic etiquette without squashing their spirit and letting the quiet one suffer the most! It got me to thinking about the lessons we teach our toddlers and I also started thinking about how relevant these skills are to adults! That is when I came across this poem!
Seriously, it makes perfect sense to me. As we grow we truly tend to complicate things; lose the wonder of big dreams, the joy in playing and the ability to get over things really, really quickly - sometimes in mere seconds other times only after being kissed! I am definitely going to try to get back to basics and apply these simple rules where possible...starting with afternoon naps of course!
"All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten"
by Robert Fulghum
Most of what I really need
To know about how to live
And what to do and how to be
I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top
Of the graduate school mountain,
But there in the sandpile at Sunday school.
These are the things I learned:
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life -
Learn some and think some
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work everyday some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world,
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.