Tips For Living Well: From My 3 Year Old Nephew

[Henry and William, My Nephews and lovebugs]

My sister and I are 17 months apart. Our lives, however are light years apart. While I'm bebopping around New York just trying to stay on top of the next big thing, she is running around (literally), just trying to stay on top of two toddlers. We are a true case of opposites, in style, personality, and life paths; though my parents often marvel at how similar we are in certain mannerisms, those little idiosyncrasies that assure everyone we are actually of the same blood.

Her personal blog gets less readers, but she is by far the better writer. She's been teaching me about life since the day I arrived here, and, because we all could use a fun read, I thought I would share her latest post which offers some important life lessons from a 3 year old (I just wish you knew my William personally, the inspiration for these tips):

Remember that book? All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten? I thought about that book this morning when I looked at William as we left the house. His bright green crocs were on the wrong feet, his little crack was peeking out from his shorts (a common sight not only because he has no waist but also because he sometimes forgets to pull them up after pottying), and he had on his “scuba diving” (snorkeling) apparatus, with his lips sealed around the mouthpiece and his little ears folded over themselves from the goggle strap. He was ready to go.

I asked him to put his shoes on the right feet and pull his pants up, but the snorkeling gear - the reasons for that were not questioned.

All I really need to know, I learn from watching my boys be themselves:

::Eat your vegetables

::Kisses heal anything

::Do what you’re told when it’s for your own good or something bad’s gonna happen

::Giggle

::Get dirt under your fingernails

::Books make good bedfellows

::Tears are natural

::Apologize and forgive easily

::The mundane is often fascinating

::Welcome daddy home with open arms

::Make silly faces in the mirror

::Ask for help when you need it; let others help you

::The natural world is revelation

::Ask questions

::Some stories are meant to be told over and over

::Talk to yourself

::It is fun to recount the past

::When you are polite, you are more likely to get what you asked for

::It is liberating to eat with your fingers and not use a napkin

::Pray for others, again, and again, remember them in your prayers

::Being naked is fun

::You can get pretty much anything you need at Target

::Imagine the possibilities of what can be

::Each moment has it’s own delights or it’s own tragedies; embrace them all

::Words, and sounds, and syllables are exciting and intriguing

::Dance whenever you hear music

::Dads are good at fixing things

::If you smile at them, most people will smile back

::If you don’t get enough sleep, you will probably be cranky

::Even when it’s hard to do, share

::Don’t take yourself too seriously: Wear your snorkeling gear when there’s not a drop of water in sight