Sunday, September 15, 2013

Lessons

I guess I always assume that one day my boys will be interested in what I've written in this blog and they will read it.  One day right?  Well about 2 minutes ago I came across something I pinned on Pinterest a long, long time ago and I had clearly forgotten about it.  So while I anticipate that eventually they will be keen on reading my words, I highly doubt they'll care too much to peruse the pictures I've pinned along the way of things I want to do, not things I've done.

In another time and another place one Kim Bongiorno posted a list of advice and lessons she felt her children should learn.  As a fellow mother, I couldn't agree more and I'm very grateful that in some round about way I've taught my boys some of these already without even realizing I had.  I'm not entirely convinced I'd be able to come up with a better list of life lessons or suggestions than what she's included here.  Frankly if I was, I'd likely post them!  So here are Kim's (and probably most mothers) lessons, waiting for that day when my boys are interested in hearing what their own mother would also say.

  • Hold the door.
  • Ask the elderly lady how she is doing today.  Listen to her reply.  
  • Don't trust everybody.  Don't not trust anyone. 
  • Pick up what you saw, even if you didn't drop it. 
  • Smile and make eye contact.
  • Give the benefit of the doubt, even if you are cranky. 
  • Give a kid a penny to toss into the fountain.
  • Be strong enough that people know not to mess with you but soft enough to know they can hug you.
  • Don't park in handicap parking spots, unless they apply to you.
  • Don't sneak extra items into the 12 or Less lane at the grocery store.  
  • Be light in your heart and steady on your feet. 
  • Trust your gut, both good and bad.
  • Take chance that won't hurt yourself or others. 
  • Learn to make people laugh without making another cry.
  • Remember how good your life it.
  • Think before you act. 
  • Write down birthdays.
  • Get mad, but don't get even.
  • Admit to your mistakes.
  • Share
  • Use Please, Thank you and Excuse me everyday. 
  • Do the work it takes to make a good life for yourself. 
  • Don't take advantage of the kindness of others.
  • Absorb the lessons you learn the hard way. 
  • Look for rainbows no matter how rare they may be.
  • Know that when you look away from an electronic screen, the most important connections to be made are all around you.
  • Tell people when you are proud of them. 
  • Don't make it hard for other's to make you happy. 
  • Offer to shovel her driveway if you know her husband is away. 
  • Don't say, "I know how you feel." even if you've been there before.  Just say, "I'm sorry, what can I do for you?"
  • Play to win, but play fair
  • Someone always has to lose.  Sometimes it will be you.  Don't whine about it:  learn from it. 
  • Show your loved ones your support, even if what they are excited about bores you to tears. 
  • Offer your seat, the ball, your friends to the new kid.
  • Return library books on time.
  • Give credit where credit is due. 
  • Patience and practice will help you do all the hard things you want to accomplish.  
  • Try to remember to take care of your teeth, and not just the week before you visit the dentist. 
  • Let him -and only him- know when his fly is down.
  • Stand up to bullies by being smart and kind. 
  • Learn tact.
  • Learn what all the basic tools do. 
  • Read to someone who can't, write notes to someone who can. 
  • Drink water.
  • Eat a cupcake.
  • Eat your vegetables.
  • Know who has trouble saying, "I love you" and let them show you instead. 
  • Be the kind of person your mom always knew you would be.  


And now I can delete the pin from my Pinterest account with a clear conscience that I've passed this valuable advice along.  Thank you Kim for putting what good mothers attempt to teach their children every day into words for the rest of us.  

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