Some Things I’ll Teach My Children (Updated)

I have a long list of items to teach my children but here is an incomplete list of things that I want to teach them.

1. Laugh, love and learn always and forever.
2. Never forget to hold your friends and family close to you.
3. A good hug can change your day. Everyone needs a hug. We all need to touch and be held. My thoughts on being shomer negiah later.
4. The majority opinion is not always right nor the most moral/ethical.
5. Some things are worth fighting for and some are not. The hard part is discerning which is which.
6. You can never read too many books but you must always supplement your reading/education by doing.
7. Travel and interact with the world around you.
8. Learn to speak more than one language.
9. Play a team sport and learn how to be a team player.
10. Understand that life is a journey and that half the fun is indeed getting there.
11. Life is filled with moments, some good and some bad. Just remember this too shall pass.
12. If saying goodbye doesn’t hurt than whatever it was probably wasn’t worth much.
13. Take pictures of friends, places and loved ones. They’ll help preserve some great memories.
14. Try not to grow up too quickly. Childhood is but a short time.
15. Look for magic.
16. Remember that you may not always agree with your parents but they also are looking out for your best interests.

Originally posted here.

Editor’s Note: I wrote the first version of this post in 2005 when I barely knew what blogging was about. I updated it again in 2010 (this version you are reading today) which means it is probably due for a 2015 update. Stay tuned.