Our second son, Little O, is nearing his second birthday. He’s full of charm, mischief, laughter, exploration, excitement, and big (huge) emotions. Staying home with him full-time is an adventure – full of fun, messes, and ups and downs. And yet, when I take a step back from the daily chaos, I appreciate the lessons he is teaching me about patience, learning, loving, success, and life.

Here are six lessons my crazy, awesome toddler is teaching me about life.

1. Persistence Pays Off

Boy is Little O stubborn. He will follow me around the entire house asking for something until he gets it (“oven, oven, oven, oven, oven, oven, oven, oven, oven, oven…”). He persists even after I say no. Sometimes he even flutters his puppy dog eyes and asks, “please.” This is really annoying, but a really good life skill to have!

Persistence pays off. Don’t let rejections and “no’s” get in your way of success.

2. Be a Scientist

Little O loves to explore his surroundings. Open-close. Build-break. Hold-smash. Copy-repeat. On the surface, Little O’s destruction is well – destructive. But what he is doing is magical. He is being a little scientist. He is observing his environment, asking questions, and testing properties (if I smash this glass, will it break?). What a great lesson for all of us!

We learn best we when act like scientists – ask questions, test the status quo, and break barriers.

3. Run, Don’t Walk

Little O has two hilarious settings. On and off. When he sees a ball across the field, he doesn’t walk to it, he runs! When we hiked last weekend, he was either running down the trail yelling “run!” or laying down on the dirt trail to take a rest.

If you see something you want in life, don’t walk to it- run!

4. When Something Excites You, Squeal with Joy

In Little O’s world, seeing Dadda after a long work day, getting fruit snacks, blowing bubbles, or finding out we’re going to the park all result in squeals of joy. Big, loud, unedited, adorable squeals of joy. What a great lesson to listen to our inner squeal!

When something in life makes you want to squeal with joy – embrace it! Say yes! Go that route.

Related – Learning to Say No (When Saying No is Really Hard)

5. Make a Mess

Little O can make messes faster than I can clean them up. I need five minutes to schedule posts on social media? Lipstick found and drawn all over body. I am in the bathroom for 2 minutes? Blueberries found and smashed into carpet. What’s the lesson here?

Don’t be afraid of disruption; to make a mess; to carve your own path.

6. Get Outside!

If you ask Little O, our house is pretty rad. Just enough space for the four of us, a safe place to sleep, his favorite toys and books, and all of the pots and pans he loves to pull out of the cabinets. But oh man, nothing beats the outdoors. It doesn’t even matter what we are doing outdoors. A neighborhood walk, playing at the park, exploring a beach, or hiking up a mountain… Being outdoors is so good for the soul.

Go play outside every day. It is so good for your relationships, and so good for your soul.

Awesome Life Lessons

Toddlers can be frustrating, but they are also joyful, hilarious, fun, and loving creatures. I’m thankful for my nearly two-year-old who is reminding me daily to:

• Be persistent,
• Act like a scientist,
• Run, don’t walk,
• Find your joy,
• Make messes, and
• Get outdoors daily.

What life lessons are your children teaching you? Leave a comment below!

P.S.: Let’s connect! Find us over at Facebook, too!