by Michael Daws
There is nothing better in this life than having kids and being a parent. There is also nothing more challenging then raising kids but also nothing more rewarding. If there are things that I want my children to know when they get older, I would want it to be these 50 things:
1. Know how to cook and clean. It pays to be self sufficient.
2. Know how to manage your money. You will thank yourself later for this.
3. Be prepared to work hard to get what you want. Nobody owes you anything.
4. Follow your dreams, no matter what anybody else has to say. Its your life, not theirs.
5. Your family is the most valuable thing you will ever have. Do not sacrifice them for anything.
6. No matter what you do, I will always be proud to be your father.
7. Life is too short to hold grudges.
8. Life is too short for regrets.
9. If you ever need to talk to somebody, I am always available.
10. Do not sacrifice your personality for somebody else. If they don’t respect who you are, they are not worth your time.
11. No matter where life takes you, you are always welcome back home.
12. Always follow your heart, no matter what.
13. If you have a job, and it doesn’t make you happy, then you do not need that job.
14. Karma is real. Keep that in mind.
15. It is the little things in life that truly mean the most.
16. Everything in life happens for a reason.
17. Do not let the bad things in life get you down. If you do, you will miss the good things that are coming up next.
18. If people are talking about you behind your back, take it as a compliment. Whatever you did made such an impression that they can’t stop thinking about you.
19. Learn to love yourself more than any man or woman ever could.
20. It is better to “blend out” than it is to “blend in.”
21. It is okay to cry.
22. Only God can truly judge you.
23. You have no reason to be insecure. You are the way you are for a reason, so embrace that.
24. Never let a guy treat you like you are not a lady. To my son, always treat your woman like a lady.
25. To my daughter, I will probably dislike most of your boyfriends.
26. Don’t ever be afraid to take a chance.
27. Take great pride in what ever you do.
28. Be proud of where you came from.
29. Besides your family, your health is one of the most important things you have. Keep up on it now so you can avoid complications later.
30. It is okay to express emotion. Never feel like you have to hide what you are truly feeling.
31. Step out of your comfort zone from time to time. You’ll be surprised what you can experience.
32. It is okay to say “no” from time to time.
33. There is nothing wrong with being the bigger person from time to time.
34. You are only young once in your life. Don’t waste your better years doing something you hate because of somebody else.
35. I am certainly not a perfect parent. I will make mistakes too.
36. If you commit to something, follow through with it.
37. Having a child is the best thing you will ever do with your life.
38. Your siblings are some of the best friends you can ever have. Do not take them for granted.
39. The way you dress says a lot about the kind of person you are. Keep that in mind for dates, job interviews, etc.
40. I will always voice my opinion, unless you say not to.
41. There are times when it is best to be a leader, or a follower. Learn when it is appropriate to to either of those.
42. The only dumb question in this world is the one that was never asked.
43. Learning to be patient will take you far.
44. No matter how old you are, you will always be my baby.
45. You do not need all of that make up.
46. It breaks my heart to know that there will be another man or woman in your life.
47. I will probably start to cry during every major milestone that happens in your life.
48. Your body is a temple.
49. To my daughter, I will always be up for watching princess movies with you.
50. I never knew how much I could actually love until I found out that I was going to have you.
Michael Daws is a 21 year old writer, currently writing out of Battle Creek, MI.