Put enough ketchup on it and a kid will eat almost anything.
No matter how much you speak to your kids, children learn more from what you are rather than what you tell them.
Baby poop defies all laws of physics and nature.
I've never seen my dad cry. My daughter has seen me cry. My dad never told me he loved me. Consequently I tell the Peanut I love her practically every other minute. The point is that maybe too much emotional display is just as bad as not enough but I've learned that I'll always lean towards the former.
Parent who tell their kids that there is no Santa Claus or Tooth Fairy are pretty much assholes.
My daughter has taught me that I'm not always quite as good a person as I like to think I am but, at the same time, I'm nowhere near as bad a person as I sometimes think I am.
Also? I'm a million times more patient now than I ever was before I became a father.
You can talk the talk but you better know how to walk the walk.
Parenting tests your ability to be resourceful. In a pinch, I once made a diaper out of some paper towels, a sanitary napkin, and some duct tape.
Lacking a car seat, I also once strapped my daughter into the backseat with a bunch of bungee cords.
There are few things more enjoyable in life than cranking up the stereo and dancing silly with your child.
Poop and fart jokes are always crowd pleasers.
Ever since my daughter was born, I've lectured her about life and have tried to pass on everything I've learned. Of course, she can't understand much of what I'm talking about. But you know what? One day, she will.
Is your kid a picky eater? Don't worry about it too much. As my pediatrician once said, "No kid in Tribeca ever starved to death."
I try not to worry too much about short-term payoffs, results or expectations. I don't expect the true effects of parenting to reveal themselves until well after my time here is gone.
It's both a blessing and a curse to see which traits your child has inherited from you.
Love of reading is cool. Smelly feet, not so much
Never in my life did I ever imagine having so much fun throwing a princess tea party with a bunch of dolls.
There are many things I want my daughter to learn but the two most important lessons I'd like to teach her are manners and empathy.
Hitting a good backhand down the line is a close third.
Your kids will always remember more than you. Always remember that.
My love for my child is the only love I've ever had that keeps getting stronger over time. Maybe that says more about me than it does about my relationship with my daughter. Maybe I can learn how to transfer that into the other relationships in my life. We'll have to wait and see about that one, n'est-ce pas?
Don't force the questions out of your child. They'll ask when they're ready.
I've only been a father for 6 years and I expect the things that parenting teaches me about life will continue to change over time. And if I ever have another kid, I expect that the lessons will change in a dramatically different way.
Then again, maybe they won't.
Either way, the cool thing about getting older is readjusting your perspective on life based on your everyday experiences. When I was younger, my philosophy on life was mostly shaped by my relationships. Or my travels. Or my professional life.
Not to say that those things don't continue to shape who I am. However, at the same time, I continue to be surprised about the things that parenthood teaches me. But enough of this sappy shit. What about you?
What have YOU learned?
