Thursday Thirteen: Mom 101

Since becoming a mom, I have learned what is truly important, that you can never have too much laughter and love and well, a couple other things, here are 13 things I've learned about life from my kids.


13.Mine means Mine. If it's yours and you don't want to share, then don't. Mine is mine. Yours is yours end of story.

12. If you don't like it, don't eat it. Don't feel pressured to eat something to make a good impression. If you don't like it, don't even try it. And if you try it and you don't like it, don't hide it, acceptable ways of expressing your discontent would not be limited to  facial expression and spitting.

11. Don't care what others think about you. I am me, this is how I come. So there.

10. The more mess, the more chaotic, the more fun. A quiet party isn't a fun party, and neither is a quiet play date, shopping trip, trip to the doctors office or visit to the library.

9. Own up. Take responsibility for your actions and make sure others take responsibility for theirs. I've never seen my kids more honest than when they have done something bad, "Did you hit your brother?" Yes. "Did you jump off the couch?" Yes. "Did you break that toy?" No. Georgie did it.

8.Rules are for fools. Rules are meant to be broken, not followed.

7. Laugh in the face of adversity. It's all a joke. If you can't do something, joke about it, until everyone is laughing with you. Case in point, my son's swim lessons and t-ball, challenging situation makes the true comedian come out.

6.  Don't be afraid to get down and dirty. No one every had fun and stayed clean. Mud, dirt and sand,not only make things more interesting, they all wash off.

5. The simple things are better than nothing. Give a kid a toy from the dollar store or an ice cream cone and they'll smile all day long, they get nothing, they cry, scream and hollar.

4.Don't let anyone tell you what to do. No one backs baby in the corner, and by baby I mean baby, not that movie with patrick swayze.

3.It's okay to say no. As adults we are so afraid of saying no to someone. As kids, if they don't want to share, "No", get dressed? "No". go to the park? "No." Zoo? "No". Watch a movie? "No. No. No."

2. Don't let anyone tell you No twice. Not only should you not be afraid to say no, you should not take no for an answer, persistence is the key in getting what you want. That's what temper tantrums are for.

1. Never be afraid to let them see you sweat... holler, scream, cry and totally lose it in public. Enough said.