Teachable Moments

I am a big believer in grabbing the teachable moments in the moment and run with it.  I try not to sound preachy or all-knowing because, as we all know, I have not the slightest idea of what the hell I'm doing most of the time.  I also don't believe in having "sit-down-let's-talk" moments as when my mom would do that to me it never either (a) felt good to start off with and (b) never really ended well.

However, with this being said I do realize that shit happens whenever it happens, and whatever the subject calls for, I will go with it.  One such moment came the other day while driving with my kids in the car; Jillian, 11 and Andrew, 3.  I'll spare you the long, drawn out version of the story, but it involved some swearing at the "boss" (who I assure you was no longer on the phone when I started my swearing and rant session).  I was in disbelief at the way I was just treated/spoken to by this guy whose ass I was saving on this particular day.  I was actually speechless, and in my silence I noticed that neither child had uttered a word.  I guess I had turned into a scary mommy at that moment because my kids never are quiet.

Herein presented my teachable moment about education.  I know that education will take my kids to places I only hope they want to go and that I hope will make them much more successful than I could ever have dreamed for them.  I talked to Jillian about how she needs to remember moments like this when I am unhappy in my job and to use that memory to never want to be like me.  I reinforced how going to school for something you enjoy will make a job never feel like one.  I can't imagine going to work every day feeling like I am not working.  I told her to find and grab and hold onto anything that she's passionate about and turn it into her career.  She's currently into her "cake decorating" phase.  Hell, who am I to say this is a phase.  She could, at this very moment, be doing what I told her to do; grab and hold onto it and run with it. 

She told me that she would love to learn how to turn people's ideas into cakes, etc. which turned into us talking about how much fun it would be to not only make these creations but to own your own place and have people working with you.  She liked this idea and she told me that she would never even think about treating her "people" like I get treated.  Insert the swelling heart moment here.  She heard me, she really heard me. 

I know there will be many more discussions before she goes off to high school and college and into a career, but it is never too early to start those wheels turning in their minds because I know that it is well before high school that the seeds are planted for their future.  My child is a smart child, and I know she will succeed in anything she puts her mind and heart into.  I only hope to open up possibilities and never push her away from her dreams, and I hope she believes me and never feels it's corny when I tell her she can do anything in this world she wants to do as long as she's happy. 

*cheers my friends*

You can also visit me at Confessions of a Truu Mom