Things in Pittsburgh come in threes. Three rivers, three eagles on the city coat of arms, three kids in our family. Each of my kids is in a different stage of their educational journey. My oldest is midway through the traditional four year college experience. My middle just graduated high school. My youngest completed his first year of high school. I know they had a lot of learning moments, good and bad, in the past school year. So I asked them what some of their life lesson moments were, big and small.
The youngest said, “People exaggerate a lot of things. People want to impress others more so they make stuff seem harder than it actually is, or harder than it should be.”
The middle said, “You are the only one who can make a change in yourself. Don’t look to others to change yourself.”
The oldest said, “Going to the gym on a daily basis has helped my social anxiety. When I first went I was so worried people were looking at me. They weren’t. My confidence improved. By the end of the semester, I couldn’t wait to go. It made me more comfortable in uncomfortable situations.”
My kids learned facts and formulas, they wrote essays and read books, they took tests and did homework and all the regular kind of learning. But they also learned some important things about themselves, and about the world around them, that wasn’t spelled out on the syllabus.
I loved asking them this question and then listening to their thoughtful, insightful answers. It showed me how much they are growing. And they offered some great advice that will help me in my daily life. Hopefully their lessons will help you, too.
