Life Lessons: Student, Mama; Teacher, Baby
My outside the home profession up until Jac's birth was teaching. I am passionate about education, and my plan was to use my teaching skills to help Jac grow and develop as much as possible. Imagine my surprise when I realized that my Masters degree and classroom teacher experience didn't compare to the teaching skills of my wise baby boy.We've only had seven months together, so I'm sure there are many more lessons to come, but here are seven of the most poignant lessons Jac has bestowed upon me so far:1. The natural world is beautiful and amazing.When you see a baby examine the leaves on a tree, or touch a dainty flower for the first time... or watch your child mesmerized by the falling snow... you are reminded of the free and spectacular gifts at our disposal on any given day.
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| Ahhh... the beauty of nature! |
2. It is well worth it to take some time to savor, enjoy, and appreciate good music every day.No matter how excited Jac is about a specific toy, or how much something is upsetting him, when Dada plays the guitar for Jac, he stops whatever he is doing and enters a trance of obvious pleasure. He only focuses on the music, and reminds me how nice it is to take a few minutes to do nothing but appreciate a great song.
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| My daddy is a rockstar. |
3. Animals are special friends worth treasuring.Jac has become more and more interested in our two cats. He will twist his body at all angles just to catch a glimpse of them. This morning, one of the cats let Jac really grab him and pet him all over for the first time. Jac looked like the had just won a million bucks. We're so lucky to have animals in our lives that give us trust and unconditional love.
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| Our little guardian angel. |
4. Don't be afraid to ask for what you want.Jac doesn't care if it's the "right" time to ask for something. He is aware of what he needs emotionally and physically and he doesn't hesitate to make his needs known, as he should. Too often we wait for the right moment to ask for what we want or do what we want to do and let important moments pass us by.
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| I'm trying to phrase my thought perfectly. |
5. Sometimes all your problems can be solved with a nice hug.
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| And all is right with the world... |
6. Family comes first.Jac makes it very clear that he loves his dada and mama so much, and no one told him he had to. I can understand that he would learn to love me since I provide him with his food, but if you could see the look on his face when Dada comes home from work each evening, you would know that this boy is just plain gaga for his parents. Jac shakes with excitement when he sees Dada and the smiles seem to explode on his face.
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| My guts are on the operating table, but I'm ecstatic because of this little guy! |
7. Being silly is good for you.Jac loves to act silly and to see me acting silly. I find that I feel unbelievably refreshed and rejuvenated after a nice session of making funny sounds and faces. It's a very similar feeling to finishing a yoga class or finishing a beautiful hike. The next time you need a revival, go ahead and make some faces at yourself in the mirror. I guarantee you'll be more relaxed afterwards.
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| We are not afraid to be silly. |
