Teaching my kids the things I wish I knew is absolutely one of my favorite things in life. Some of the lessons unfortunately are not age appropriate for them at the moment so I choose to write to my kids.
Some people “live every day like it’s their last” by living on the edge in everything that they do. I live it like it’s the last time my kids will ever see me alive. It’s morbid in a sense but it’s a reminder for me to get back and write and make videos. Yes, I have written everything I’ve learned about mourning and dealing with the loss of a family member too.
I think of it as a combination journal and instruction book that they can turn to in the future to learn about me and get my advice on life issues. I’m trying to cover as many topics as I can, from life issues like navigating the workplace, relationships, finance, parenting to things like taking care of your vehicles and taking care of themselves.
Writing sessions vary a lot. Some days I’ll just ramble to them about whatever is in my head that day or about things going on in our lives at the moment and other days I stick to the mission and really try to share things that I’ve learned that truly made a difference in my life.
I always take the time to sneak in an “I Love You Guys!!”
I’ve made a lot of mistakes and bad choices in life and the old saying “a smart man learns from his mistake but a wise man learns from the mistakes of others” has always been a go to phrase for me. Even when I was young and stupid. My goal is to raise my children with the discipline to not make similar bad decisions/choices even when they know it’s wrong and it’s going to hurt afterwards. Just like their dad.
I always tell my eldest son. Every painful moment in my life is worth its weight in gold when I can use them as teaching tools for my children.
Aside from the myriad of bad decisions I’ve also faced a variety of both physical and mental health issues which taught me so many valuable lessons to pass on to them. Even my pre-teen kids can speak about insulin resistance and intermittent fasting with authority. They also know the importance of communication and being able to open up about what’s on their hearts and minds.
You may even hear the occasional sentence or two about getting started in investing and the importance of financial education. I try to keep it light but nothing builds common sense like having a basic understanding of how things work.
I’ve also made videos of myself singing happy birthday to them individually and wishing them happy Thanksgiving and merry Christmas and reminding them that I’m proud of them and they can get through whatever they are facing in life.
I sometimes wonder about the videos, is it too morbid, is it too much. Is it better for them to just turn to their memories or would it be special if they could see me again to remember our holidays together fondly.
No matter how old your kids are, it’s never too early to start writing to them. I started much later than I wanted to. I still regret not sitting by my childrens’ cribs writing to them and looking at those beautiful sleeping faces. Live regret free and start today!!
“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” Proverbs 9:9