My son did the most hilarious thing yesterday that made me realize just how observant children are. We were back in my bedroom where I was changing clothes before going for a walk. I turned around to see Jackson with a tissue, squatting down, and pretending to wipe his bottom (he was fully clothed mind you). He preceded to take the same tissue and blow his nose. Now, he didn’t just hold the tissue up to his face. He was literally blowing from his nose! This child is 15 months…not 3!!

This hilarious and surprising incident made me realize how much our children learn from us. They watch our every move, listen to everything we say, and learn from what we do. We shape our children by being who we are. If we want our children to be good people, we need to be good people. This has made me open my eyes and embrace the fact that I’m a very important person in Jackson’s life. I’m not just here to take care of him. I’m here to teach him, guide him, and create a good person. I need to be more cognizant of how I treat others. That includes talking respectfully to my family; smiling at strangers in public; being helpful and courteous to everyone around me; and being kind, generous, and loving to those in my life. I want to be a better person so my son will be a good person.

Let me just say that Jackson isn’t the only one learning. He has taught me so much. He has taught me to be happy even when times are tough. He has taught me to stand up for what I believe in. He has taught me to work hard for what I want. He has given me the greatest love I’ve ever felt and made me smile more than I’ve ever smiled.

“While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.”  ~Angela Schwindt