Sunday, November 29, 2009
Things I (Hope) I Taught My Children
Here are a few life lessons I hope I have taught my kids.
Be grateful and gracious. Sometimes people give you things you probably wouldn't buy, don't need or won't use. Maybe they help with a job and don't do it the same way you would have done. (Kids do this a lot.) Be grateful they were thinking of you and wanted to please you.
Don't take advantage of others generosity. Sometimes, when we have a car full of soccer players, we stop to get something to eat and offer to buy for everyone. While we are ordering off the value menu and drinking water, they order the combo meals and large or specialty drinks. Don't expect gifts or rewards. Just be glad when you get them.
Make sure your labor is equal to or more than your compensation. This is also known as doing an honest day's work for an honest day's wage. Too many people want a lot of money for a little work. If people hire you, make sure they are happy with both the quantity AND the quality of your work. Be fair when estimating your work and don't surprise people if it looks like it will cost more than anticipated
Clean up after yourself. If you do a job for someone, don't leave a mess. Untangle wires, pick up packaging, sweep, dust, rake, whatever it takes to leave wherever you were working clean.
If you break something, tell someone about it. If you can fix it great. If not, replace it. I went to use some garden tools once and found out the last person who had used them hadn't mentioned they were broken. I don't even know who broke them.
Be frugal. Look for good deals when you need to buy something, but don't buy something just because it's a good deal.
Don't be a picky eater. This is especially true if someone else made or bought your meal. Unless you are allergic or something will make you sick, or if there is one item that you truly, TRULY can't handle, be polite. It won't hurt you to be gracious and eat something just once in awhile. ( Except for the exceptions)
Apply yourself. Do and be the best you can in everything you do. You may not be THE best, but you should be YOUR best.
Sing with the fervor of your soul, even if you're a little off key.
Learn to laugh at yourself. You might do or say something embarrassing, but it's okay. I do it all the time and nothing bad has happened yet.
Smile and say "Hi," to people you may not know. It's better to say hello to someone you don't know than accidentally not say hi to someone you do know.
Talk nicely and be nice. Your tone of voice says more than your words every time. As my mom used to say, "It's not WHAT you say, it's HOW you say it." Some people are sensitive. While you might not be trying to hurt their feelings, if you're not thoughtful, you might do it anyway.
Speak clearly and with confidence. It's a pain to have to repeat yourself, and some people won't ask so you might not get your message across.
Don't be afraid to own up to mistakes and say you're sorry. Many problems are the result of more than one person misunderstanding, Don't be afraid admit your part.
Don't say "hate." It is a destructive word and no good can come from feeling, thinking or saying it.
Be a gracious winner as well as a gracious loser.
Be a good listener. If someone is talking to you, try to put down what you are working on and look at them. If that is not entirely possible, like when you are weeding a garden together or doing the dishes, at least pause every so often and respond so they know you are paying attention. (Even if you don't want to.)
Be honest and have integrity. Everyone who works with you should always know that you are a man or woman of integrity and can always be trusted.
Be aware of your surroundings. Notice if someone is trying to talk so you don't interrupt them. It also helps to pay attention when you are a passenger in a car in case you have to drive there yourself.
Read a lot and from a large variety. It will broaden your understanding of people and increase your vocabulary.
Things I hope my kids learned in spite of my bad example:
Let it go. It probably really doesn't matter. Most things that upset us are really not worth the effort of losing your temper or patience. Try hard to keep in control.
Along the same lines, don't be a pack rat. Be reasonable, but life is easier without a lot of extra stuff around to bury you.
Use your outside voice outside and your inside voice inside.
Know when to keep your mouth shut. I've put my foot in my mouth many times and have decided it best to think a second before I say something.
Don't procrastinate. Really. Do it now because it doesn't get any better later.
No one listens when you're screaming.
You don't always have to be right, even if you're right.
I know there are more. I'll post them when I think of them. If you have any you'd like to add, feel free to comment.
Be grateful and gracious. Sometimes people give you things you probably wouldn't buy, don't need or won't use. Maybe they help with a job and don't do it the same way you would have done. (Kids do this a lot.) Be grateful they were thinking of you and wanted to please you.
Don't take advantage of others generosity. Sometimes, when we have a car full of soccer players, we stop to get something to eat and offer to buy for everyone. While we are ordering off the value menu and drinking water, they order the combo meals and large or specialty drinks. Don't expect gifts or rewards. Just be glad when you get them.
Make sure your labor is equal to or more than your compensation. This is also known as doing an honest day's work for an honest day's wage. Too many people want a lot of money for a little work. If people hire you, make sure they are happy with both the quantity AND the quality of your work. Be fair when estimating your work and don't surprise people if it looks like it will cost more than anticipated
Clean up after yourself. If you do a job for someone, don't leave a mess. Untangle wires, pick up packaging, sweep, dust, rake, whatever it takes to leave wherever you were working clean.
If you break something, tell someone about it. If you can fix it great. If not, replace it. I went to use some garden tools once and found out the last person who had used them hadn't mentioned they were broken. I don't even know who broke them.
Be frugal. Look for good deals when you need to buy something, but don't buy something just because it's a good deal.
Don't be a picky eater. This is especially true if someone else made or bought your meal. Unless you are allergic or something will make you sick, or if there is one item that you truly, TRULY can't handle, be polite. It won't hurt you to be gracious and eat something just once in awhile. ( Except for the exceptions)
Apply yourself. Do and be the best you can in everything you do. You may not be THE best, but you should be YOUR best.
Sing with the fervor of your soul, even if you're a little off key.
Learn to laugh at yourself. You might do or say something embarrassing, but it's okay. I do it all the time and nothing bad has happened yet.
Smile and say "Hi," to people you may not know. It's better to say hello to someone you don't know than accidentally not say hi to someone you do know.
Talk nicely and be nice. Your tone of voice says more than your words every time. As my mom used to say, "It's not WHAT you say, it's HOW you say it." Some people are sensitive. While you might not be trying to hurt their feelings, if you're not thoughtful, you might do it anyway.
Speak clearly and with confidence. It's a pain to have to repeat yourself, and some people won't ask so you might not get your message across.
Don't be afraid to own up to mistakes and say you're sorry. Many problems are the result of more than one person misunderstanding, Don't be afraid admit your part.
Don't say "hate." It is a destructive word and no good can come from feeling, thinking or saying it.
Be a gracious winner as well as a gracious loser.
Be a good listener. If someone is talking to you, try to put down what you are working on and look at them. If that is not entirely possible, like when you are weeding a garden together or doing the dishes, at least pause every so often and respond so they know you are paying attention. (Even if you don't want to.)
Be honest and have integrity. Everyone who works with you should always know that you are a man or woman of integrity and can always be trusted.
Be aware of your surroundings. Notice if someone is trying to talk so you don't interrupt them. It also helps to pay attention when you are a passenger in a car in case you have to drive there yourself.
Read a lot and from a large variety. It will broaden your understanding of people and increase your vocabulary.
Things I hope my kids learned in spite of my bad example:
Let it go. It probably really doesn't matter. Most things that upset us are really not worth the effort of losing your temper or patience. Try hard to keep in control.
Along the same lines, don't be a pack rat. Be reasonable, but life is easier without a lot of extra stuff around to bury you.
Use your outside voice outside and your inside voice inside.
Know when to keep your mouth shut. I've put my foot in my mouth many times and have decided it best to think a second before I say something.
Don't procrastinate. Really. Do it now because it doesn't get any better later.
No one listens when you're screaming.
You don't always have to be right, even if you're right.
I know there are more. I'll post them when I think of them. If you have any you'd like to add, feel free to comment.
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