It is really neat to see yourself in your kids…ok, well, it depends what you are seeing. I am learning so much about myself by watching my kids and wondering where in the world they get what they do.
I realized this week that Ainsley’s sense of space comes from my brain. This is a child who has never fallen off of anything she’s climbed on and she lived on the dining room table for six months of her life. (I tried and tried to get her to come off of it, but she would climb up multiple times a day to play.) She fell off the ledge that led from the dining room to the living room in our old house once when she was first starting to crawl. Every time after that she would crawl to the edge, rock back and forth then fuss until I moved her down into the living room.
This week as I was watching a woman try to parallel park in the city, I thought about how good I am at parallel parking. I had a great driving instructor and, well, what can I say I’m good at space. Let me share a few ways my spacial talent comes in handy.
1) As mentioned before, parallel parking. I mean, let me tell you, here in the suburbs being able to parallel park is a must! Kidding, of course, but it did come in handy when we lived in the city for three years early in our marriage. I hate to brag, but I can parallel park just about any vehicle that doesn’t require a C Class driver’s license.
2) Packing the car for trips. Wow, this one has you impressed I know. I can pack luggage in a car like nobody’s business. I act like it’s a big puzzle and go to town packing the items in the most efficient space saving manner.
3) Much like number 2, I am awesome at putting things in a grocery cart so nothing is squashed and goes on the belt in an easy to bag manner. Ok, maybe this falls more under organizational skills, which is a great segue.
4) ORGANIZING – I’m sure you’ve caught on by now that I love organizing things, people, projects, my life, and my husband’s life. 😉 Understanding space and space constraints and being able to use space efficiently really comes in handy when organizing closets and pantries.
5) Hanging pictures – okay so I do whip out the measuring tape if I’m hanging a group of pictures, but if I’m only hanging one, I just eye ball it and stick ‘er up there!
Whew! I’m sure there are many other ways my spacial talent comes in handy, but five is all I have right now since it’s past midnight and I should be sleeping. Real quick though let me tell you a few ways my spacial talent doesn’t help me.
1) You’d think since I can hang a picture without a tape measure or level and parallel park that I’d be able to draw a straight line, but for the life of me, I can’t. I can’t even draw a straight line when using a ruler. Well, the line is straight if I’m using a ruler, it’s just not level.
2) Cooking dinner – No matter how good I am at parallel parking, I cannot get this to translate into cooking dinner every night, on time. I’m working on this as my husband and kids enjoy eating.
3) Getting the laundry put away – lately, it seems like we are living out of laundry baskets. I’m doing ok keeping up with the laundry just not doing a good job getting it into drawers.
There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. Kids are great jumping off points for self-reflection. What have your kids taught you about yourself?
(c) 2016 Leighann Marquiss
Comments (6)
My daughter has taught me alot about my spouse!
Aunt Amelia
You are too funny!! I must admit…I couldn’t parallel park a bicycle! Which makes just entering the CNMC parking garage a top ten stessor in my life!!
Hey…I tried to send you an email but it was returned..is it still
leighann.marquiss@yahoo.com??? Just wondering (had a story to share) Thanks
Jennifer, click the ’email me’ link on this page. It should get to me that way. 🙂
many of the things our daughter has shown me is like looking in a giant mirror, and believe me, it creeps me out so much i have to look away.
she is critical (so not a trait in myself that i like)
brutally frank (ditto above parenthetical comment)
quite OCD and precise (another not so great thing to be “overboard” about)
she is a glass half empty and i would hate to think she gets that from me, but it certainly isn’t from dad so. . .
she is a worrier (part of her OCD-ness and everything having to be in order)
but she is also wildly creative
loves to accessorize
organizes get-togethers (social catalyst like mom)
loyal friend
as for our son. . .
he is a stranger to no one (i am social and outgoing)
he is a procrastinator (yikes, me too!)
he is a smiler (that is from his dad)
easygoing to the point of being a doormat at times (also from dad.)
kind and generous and the ever party-planner (both mom & dad)
thanks for the therapy session!
i don’t have kids but one of the things my mom taught me after forcing me many a day to help her in the kitchen is that the presentation of food is very important so i am meticulous when julienning carrots. <3