Life Lessons Learned From My Toddler

Just when you think you've got life figured out, just a teensy bit, you're gifted a child who teaches you that you don't. Life's funny that way, but so are kiddos and I wouldn't have it any other way! Here are a few life lessons I've learned from my independent toddler.

Persevere. If a toddler won’t teach you perseverance, I’m not sure what will. Being a mom is trial error. There are some days as a mom I feel defeated. Some days, I feel like a complete rockstar of a mom! Things don’t always go according to plan! Guess what? Tomorrow is a new day! Get back up and try again!

Patience. Patience is truly a virtue. Raising a toddler is humbling to say the least. I’m raising a strong-willed child and that has tested every ounce of patience I have. She looks exactly like me, but she has her fathers humor and personality. To say I wasn’t ready for that would be an understatement.

You can have your cake and eat it too! What’s the purpose of making cake if you’re just going to let it sit and look pretty? Eat the cake. Everything is good in moderation, right? Besides, it’s not like that piece of cake will instantly add 5 lbs.

Birthday's are more fun now that we know they are associated with cake and ice cream!

Jump in the puddles and dance in the rain. These have turned into my favorite things to do. Before my toddler came along, you would have thought I was going to melt when I got wet. Now, I join in on the fun!

Rain makes for a rainy fun day, especially when it's rained for days!

“The days are long, but the years are short.” My baby will be two this coming month. I blinked and here we are. My Parent Cue app reminds me daily of how many weeks left I have until my oldest child turns 18. As of right now, I have 835 weeks.

Make the most out of the messiness. Messes are signs of life. They are a reminder that we are ever so lucky to have littles in our lives.

Messes can make for learning experiences, both for mom and toddler!

It takes a village. The saying goes, “find your tribe and love them hard.” I love my tribe! We build each other up and support one another. I have the best tribe and couldn’t go through this Mom life without them. They are a true gift to me. Momma's, I encourage you to build a group of friends and family members that you know you can depend on to get you through the madness of motherhood!

Live in the moment. As hard as it can be, I don’t need to document every single moment. Sometimes we miss out on so much just to get a snapshot of a bigger picture.

What lessons has your child taught you?