Day 12: What 3 Lessons Do I Want My Kids to Learn From Me?

1. Be compassionate, both toward humans and animals. It is very easy to focus on compassion for one, and not the other. If you’re helping people, others think you’re doing wrong when you stop to rescue a starving puppy. If you’re helping animals, you tend to think that there are enough groups out there helping people, so that gives you an excuse to not bother. But it is important for one to be balanced enough to have compassion for both

2. Read a lot.

Cosette and I read fairy tales before bed for a while. I don't think she was really all that into it though...

Don’t let anyone tell you that Kindles suck and you’re a sellout if you carry a Kindle on a trip instead of packing 87 books. You will carry a lot less weight and be able to read many more books if you simply take a Kindle. You can take Les Mis, Anna Karenina, Oliver Twist, The Iliad, and hundreds of other books with you. You won’t have to settle for the selection of books you were in the mood for the day you packed your bags, because you’ll have books on every subject you want on your little tiny Kindle. You can even put them on your phone (but be careful about using your phone for reading too much…I understand that finishing “one more chapter” is 4important, but making an emergency call, or using Google maps may end up being even more important in a handful of circumstances). On the flip side of that, don’t let people tell you that weight is all that matters when you are packing. If you have a certain book that you want to take with you, take it. I love this quote from Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke “If you take a book with you on a journey," Mo had said when he put the first one in her box, "an odd thing happens: The book begins collecting your memories. And forever after you have only to open that book to be back where you first read it. It will all come into your mind with the very first words: the sights you saw in that place, what it smelled like, the ice cream you ate while you were reading it... yes, books are like flypaper—memories cling to the printed page better than anything else.” If you have a book that is special enough to take with you on a trip, take it. And be sure that if something happens to it, you get it back. I had a copy of Les Mis that I accidentally left in a hostel in Adelaide. It is just a paperback copy, nothing wildly special, but it has been around the world with me. I tracked it down and paid for it to be returned to me. I don’t regret the money I spent to get it back, but I would have regretted it for a long time had I not managed to get it back. Also, don’t be a book snob when you start reading. I’m talking about those people who only read this type of book or that. Have standards…I mean, if a book is absolute rubbish, don’t waste your time on it just to say you’ve finished it. But give all sorts of different genres a chance. Listen to audiobooks, read classics and books by people who have never written before. Know who your favourite authors are, and why. If you have books you hate, especially if they are books that the general populace likes, know why you don’t like it.

Les Mis after coming from Australia

 

3. Be self-sufficient. This is valid for both boys and girls. At least be able to do basic car and home maintenance. So many people can’t unclog a drain, throw a breaker, change a flat tire, etc. Learn what you can so that you don’t have to call someone to help you with every little thing. Girls often don’t think this is necessary, because they’ll just marry someone who can handle all of these little details. But anymore, most guys don’t have any idea what to do. One of the best ways to learn basic skills is observation. Watch your parents while they’re cooking or doing general maintenance. Give a hand when you can, and ask questions.

4. Just for a little extra, I have a 4^th lesson…Don’t throw away memories. Now, I'm not talking about being a hoarder, but I know so many people who throw away mementos and delete photos. When you have a moment you want to remember, take a picture of it. Don’t worry about if the friendship will last forever and if the memories will eventually make you sad.

Don’t worry about if you look like a nerd with your camera. Just take pictures. And if someone gives you a card or a picture that makes you smile. Just keep it. Slip it between the pages of a book and when you come across it months or even years later, after forgetting that you left it there, it will bring back memories of the time that it was given to you and the reason it was given.

This was from a little girl who was terrified of animals when we first met. She ended up being comfortable with the horses and was a pretty good rider. She drew me this when the holidays were about to start.