4 Life-Changing Lessons My Children Have Taught Me This Holiday Season

I feel like I have taught my children countless lessons since I first became a mother. However, in a sweet twist of God’s most perfect plan, as I reflect on my experience as a mother, my children have taught me some of my life’s most precious lessons .

When I consciously take the time to observe them in action, they truly leave me in awe. They are not yet changed by the world; they are still how God intended us to be; forgiving, daring, engaging, adventurous, honest, loyal, ambitious, and attentive.

Below I have listed a few of the lessons that my children have taught me, which I believe are extra special during the spirit of Christmas.

Lesson 1: Let Go of Grudges

Beckett and I were making Christmas cookies and I had a bunch of flour in the mixing bowl. I asked him not to touch the dial of my mixer so the flour wouldn’t explode all over the kitchen. Want to guess what happens next? I turn for a second to wash my hands and what does Beckett do? He turns the dial and flour bursts all over the kitchen and makes a huge mess. Our kitchen looked like the North Pole! The next part I wasn’t too proud of…. I yelled at him for not listening to what I asked and making a mess. I knew I could have handled the situation a lot differently.

We cleaned up the mess together and afterwards I said, “Beckett, I’m really sorry for yelling at you, mommy could have handled that a lot better”. He said, “I forgive you mom”, and gave me the BIGGEST hug.

There was no hesitation to his response. He forgave me, no questions asked. My kids always forgive me when I make mistakes and don’t handle things in the best way. And there is never another mention of it. It’s almost as if any wrong doing towards them just floats away.

They don’t dwell on it for days and days, they move on. And that, my friends, is how we all should be. Life is too sweet to hold onto grudges.

Lesson 2: Slow Down

The days leading up to Christmas, do you ever feel like every chore or task you do is at turbo speed? I noticed myself this morning doing laundry and I was moving so fast to get it done quickly. I continued to do this for the rest of the morning with every chore and every action.

Finally, I sat down to watch my kids color. As I observed them, I noticed how thoughtful they were about choosing their colors, staying at the lines, their concentration was so evident.

Where does that tender care of tasks go once we are adults? If only we spent more time tending to our tasks, and truly enjoying them (even the laundry) the most mundane chores could even be enjoyable!

Everyday my kids remind me to slow down in all things. Especially during the holiday season it’s easy to rush because there is so much more on our plates! But I wonder if we just chose to slow down, get what can be done…done, and accept that everything may not be perfect, that our holiday season would go from stressful to peaceful? I think it would.

Just as our children do, slow down and take in all the sights, sounds, and smells of the holiday season. It is truly the most wonderful time of the year!

Lesson 3: Take Risks

My 2-year old asked me to watch her jump from the couch to the floor. As I watched her, I saw her knees trembling and her face was deep in concentration. She was nervous yet determined! I can’t imagine, in her little brain, the imposing task in front of her. The couch to the floor may as well be from the roof to the driveway for you and me, but there she was, eager to step up to the task. After about 2 minutes, she counted to three and jumped. She landed right on her feet, just like a cat. Her eyes gleamed with joy, she had conquered her fears.

My children have taught me to take risks, not matter how daunting the risk.

As the New Year approaches, can you think of starting anything that you have been nervous to begin? Even if it makes your heart beat a million miles a minute just thinking about it? Now is the time to capture a child’s bold and adventurous spirit, for you only have one life to live and you will never regret choosing an adventure.

Lesson 4: How Magical the World Is

Watching my children’s wonder during the Holiday Season is truly magical. We were driving down a neighborhood street the other day and I kept hearing the gasps of awe from the backseat from all of the beautiful Christmas lights. “Mom! Look! Red lights, green lights, blue lights”! Their excitement was contagious and I found myself taking in all the lights and sights with a bit more interest and wonder.

If only we could all be like little children during the holiday season basking in all of the magic and wonder of Christ’s birthday and all the celebrations that come with it. We would truly appreciate what a beautiful world God gifted us to enjoy.