A Few Things I Could Learn From My Kids

When our kids are young, it's mostly up to us to teach them all the things they need to know. We have to help them learn everything from toileting, to ABC's, to "stranger danger." It can be overwhelming, but, fortunately, we have some partners in this task. Our spouses, grandparents, anutns/uncles, and, eventually, teachers are also helping us on our quest to impart knowledge to our kiddos. 

All the while, whether we realize it or not, our kids are teaching us, too. Parenting has taught me so many things about myself, my husband, and life. My kids haven't taught me any of this intentionally - it just happens. However, now that they are a little older, I'm sure that if they were intentional, they could definitley teach me a few more things. 

Social Media - I consider myself to be pretty social media savvy, but I'm also savvy enough to know that my kids know WAY more than I do! I frequently find myself asking them "How do you do this on Instagram?" or "How does this Snapchat thing work?" If they were to teach a class, I'm sure sure I would learn lots of things I don't even really want to know. 

Celebrity Gossip - I don't know how they know these tidbits and facts, but they do - at least when it comes to celebrities that interest them. They know that Justin Bieber has the same birth date as me (minus a few years) and who Selena Gomez is dating now. They know who sings that song the radio plays over and over and over. They even know the meaning behind Taylor Swift's new video and how many YouTube views it has. 

Fashion - OK y'all, I've NEVER really been fashion forward. In fact, I walk a pretty fine line between conservative and just downright frumpy. I admit this openly. Fortunately, my girls have better fashion sense. Although, the trends stores typically offer make me want to scream and roll my eyes, my girls know how to pull it off. They put together outfits that I think will look ridiculous, but actually turn out to be pretty cute. Wonder what would happen if I let them dress me?!?!

Math - Give me research papers, vocabulary tests, and grammar examinations all day long, but please DO NOT MAKE ME DO MATH!!! It has never been my strong suit and I stopped be able to help with math homework by the time my kids hit middle school. Although the title of this post is "Things I Could Learn From My Kids," I'm actually not sure that anyone could successfully teach me how to do trigonometry or calculus.

How to Swim - I never learned to swim as a kid. My husband tried to teach me many, many years ago (before he was even my husband), but I was too nervous about being in the water to relax enough and learn. Over the years, I've gotten a little better, but if you are drowning and I'm your only hope - well, we're both in trouble. My kids, however, swim like fish. They've been in the water since they were babies and it is just natural for them. In fact, there's a much better chance that one of them could save you if you cramp up in the deep end!  

All About Horses - My two oldest daughters have been riding horses for 7+years. They know how to groom the horses, saddle up the horses, and, of course, ride them (including jumps and everything!). They also know all kinds of horse related factoids. I've been on a horse only a couple times that I can remember and they still make me a little skittish sometimes. I definitely would be able to secure a saddle or pick the dirt out of their hooves, but I know my girls could teach me. 


I'm sure there are tons more things my daughters could teach me. They seem to know all kinds of random facts and they are always learning new things. All the while, I hope that I am teaching them all the things they need to know and that we will continue to learn lots more together.