Top 5: Things my toddler taught me

It is amazing to see how wise this little dude is

We have taught our toddler how to go potty. We have taught him how to speak, in both English and Spanish. We helped him learn to walk, and we have taught him to say please and thank you. However, I believe he has taught me far more important stuff in his three short years:

1. I am far from a perfect mom. I try really hard to be the best I can be, but I am still human, and I have made some mistakes. However, he is the most understanding little person, and very forgiving. He never rubs my past mistakes or shortcomings in my face. What a great trait to have! No one is perfect, nor should they be. Everyone makes mistakes, and the faster we learn that, the better. There is absolutely nothing to be gained from holding a grudge. We would be far happier people if we just learn to forgive and forget.

2. Tickle fights are the best kind to have. They can make you forget all your worries. Nothing is more effective at alleviating stress, and causes more laughs, than getting tickled by your toddler. Tickling him and hearing him laugh like crazy does the trick too.

3. He is completely mesmerized by the moon. Every night he can just sit and stare at it for hours (ok, that might be pushing it a bit... but you get the idea). It is one of the very few things that keeps him quiet and still for a fair bit of time. Of course, I have sat with him and stared at it, and learned that it is one of the best ways to relax. There is nothing really that can stop you from taking 1 or 2 minutes and just look into the night, and then carry on with your life. It has become a favorite ritual of ours.

4. Taking life too seriously is no fun. Life becomes much easier when you let go and burst out laughing when, for instance, your mom makes a duck face while putting makeup on.

5. There is absolutely no rule that says that we can't have dreams and beliefs that others would consider ridiculous or unrealistic. It is way more fun to believe that Mickey Mouse is truly there instead of a guy wearing a costume, isn't it? There is no harm in having dreams, and if no one else believes in them, it is more than enough if you do.

I can definitely say that with a kid, it has become easier for me (if not imperative) to put things into perspective. Prioritizing and time management are not a luxury, they are a must, and even though my life is crazy hectic 99% of the time, I always have very clear what is most important in my life.