Things I Learned From My Two Year Old Grand Daughter

By Kim Michael

1. There is magic in this world, it’s called a box of crayons, a tree house, a tricycle, snow, puppies, ponies that don’t bite… and Christmas.

2. You can never give, or get, too many hugs, or kisses, or prrrrrrrrhs on your tummy.

3. Moms and Dads still love you even when you spill your milk, or accidentally color on the wall with permanent markers, or pull the Christmas tree down on top of yourself, or even… when you wet the bed.

4. Sing whenever possible, as loud and as long as you can, even if you don’t know the words, and even if no one else is singing. (E.g. Jesus loves me this I know, E I E I O–this was actually my daughter’s rendition when she was two, but I think it merits being mentioned here.)

5. Look both ways when you cross the street, always hold someone’s hand when you’re frightened, and fall asleep in someone’s arms at least once a week.

6. Canned peas are awful no matter how they’re fixed.

7. Always share your toys, unless of course, the one you’re sharing with spits up a lot.

8. It doesn’t matter if you’re short or tall or heavy or skinny, it doesn’t matter if you wear glasses, or braces on your teeth, or if you look different than everyone else. The truth is; we all put our diapers on one leg at a time.

9. It’s ok to make bubbles in the bath tub as long as you use your mouth.

10. Always say “please” and “thank you” and “I’m sorry”. Get used to the last one, you will use it a lot more than the other two.

11. No matter how nice a doctor is, no matter what anyone tells you, if you see one, it means you’re going to get a wooden thing in your mouth, something cold on your tummy… and a shot. It’s a rule, if you don’t leave crying they haven’t done their job right.

12. Few things in life ever approach the perfection of chocolate chip cookies and milk.

13. Be kind to others, even when they pull your hair.

14. Never play in a sandbox after the cat has been in it. Trust me, they may look like Tootsie Rolls, but they’re not.

15. Grand parents are “special”; they’re the first to pick you up when you’ve been in “time out”, the last to put you down when its time to go to sleep, and the quickest to forget everything you’ve done in between.