There are a million lessons we want to teach our kids before they go out into the big wide world alone. For each of us, what we want to impart on our children differs. What life knowledge do you want your kids to know before they travel that winding road, and have you ever thought about writing this down for them to read at a later date? Well I have done it. I hope my letter inspires, & gets you thinking about what you would like to say to your own kids.
Dear Bella, Aidan and Will
*Be a good listener, and people will want to hear you speak.
*Money is actually easy to acquire. You work, you get paid. The real challenge is finding a job that you love. Work out a way you can turn that love into a living.
*Do not use your life’s bad experiences as an excuse for your behaviour. Get up, shake yourself off, learn from it, and move on. Do not let negative experiences mould who you are, rather, who you will not be.
*No problem is too big. There is always something you can do. And while you may not be able to fix it, the way you cope with it can make the greatest life long impact.
*Addictions can ruin your life. If you sense you are drawn to something that is not good for your mind or body, run the other way, run fast, and never look back.
*Don’t wait for something bad to happen to be thankful for what you have.
*That good old saying “if something appears too good to be true, it probably is”. Be mindful of what others tell you.
*The longest relationship you will ever have will be with one other. Your shared childhood experiences bind you for life. Ensure you make time for each other, even after you have long left home and created families yourselves.
*Don’t listen too closely to that first person that whispers sweet things into your ear. They will be far too young to actually understand what they are even saying.
*Just because someone may say they love you, doesn’t automatically mean they will be any good at it.
*Be you have children or not, find some time to enjoy them. Children actually hold one of the keys to happiness.
Elderly people understand this, which is why they experience so much joy around them. Don’t wait till you’re old to know this.
*Life is full of “not fairs”. She has a bigger house, he has a nicer car. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to be happy. Find those simple things you love you can afford, and enjoy them.
*A dream is nothing without a plan of action.
*Everyone is scared, not just you. But it’s how we face this fear that sets us apart.
*Friends. Choosing the right friends is vital. Friends can lead us down certain paths. With each path comes consequences, so choose wisely.
*Things will happen that are out of your control, this however does not mean that you are simply a puppet guided by fate. Be your own best friend, your hardest working employee, and your best teacher. These will be your most influential partners when it comes to making your own fate.
*Some people will be scary. They may bark, they may bite, and you can’t change them.
*Take time to go it alone. Too often we are made to believe that we need a partner in our lives to make us happy.
*Those times when something happens that makes you feel embarrassed, uncomfortable or unsettled, when your stomach turns and you feel anything but at ease, know there is nothing you can do to get rid of this feeling, you simply have to take it in, live with it for the moment in time and wait for it to go away. It will go, I promise.
*Always remember how much you are loved, and how Dad and I think you guys are the best things ever to come into our lives.
Love Mummy
12th November 2012