"Little" Life Lessons

      Have you ever thought of the advice we could take from our tots? We spend all of our sun ups to sun downs teaching them the ways of the world(however crazy they may be and we must also be to follow them) and all the lessons of life they need to get through it alive and with their character in tact. What is crazy is having the realization hit you that they're returning the favor our way ten fold all mysterious Mr. Miyagi style. It's probably happened more than once, but I finally opened my eyes to it and now I see the light! Hallelujah!
     Kids (at least my two sons) couldn't care less if they're the only person doing something. They just figure nobody else has discovered yet how awesome whatever they're doing at the moment, for the moment is(they can get away with having zero attention span while I just look like I hit my head as as a baby). "Oh you don't want in on this? Sweet, more fun for me then!" Easy! While we adults have to do the desperate dance of "Are you going? When are you going? When are you walking in though? I don't want to walk in alone!" What a waste of time.
      The adolescent crowd has also managed to figure out that less is more. Why over complicate something that doesn't need your help to be better? You want lunch? Make a peanut butter and Jelly. You don't need to worry about how many carbs, sodium, whole grain, fiber or servings of the fruit group you've already consumed that day or if your peanuts were grown organically on a farm that makes their mortgage payments on time and votes according to your belief system. Just eat the damn sandwich and savor the sweet/salty strawberry goodness. Simple!
      Have you ever tried to rush a person under 10 years old into being ready on time, finishing a project or doing anything really in whatever timely manner you feel is necessary? They don't care about schedules, appointments or being "fashionably late to an event. My seven year old takes his sweet time doing anything and everything to the point I look like a frustrated Yosemite Sam complete with smoke shooting out of my ears and my boots stomping the ground. On a daily basis, he can devote 45 minutes to eating a bowl of cereal and drag out a morning shower to the point I must break every traffic law known to man to delivery him to the drop off zone on time and beat the tardy bell. But he's happy with how his morning went (while I'm red faced and biting my tongue until it bleeds) and that's all that matters right? "Relax Mom, we'll get there. We always do." Take some time to smell the roses!
        When you really think about it, these kids have it all figured out. We did too at one point, we have just lost our lackadaisical luster after years of "evolving" into adulthood. I know I for one need to go back to obeying the "don't talk to strangers" rule every parent has taught their child from birth. Maybe then I'll stop having to spend my time waiting in line forcing small talk with people who then think it's ok to touch my kids or then follow me out to my truck carrying on a conversation about meatloaf. Awkward! But if we do start paying attention to the education they are giving us, it's not too late to gain our child like wonder back and enjoy this crazy "walk of life" we're living a little more. Cue the Dire Straits soundtrack!