8 Life Lessons Parenting Can Teach You

If you didn’t learn these before you became a parent, you definitely learned them after.

Photo by Eye for Ebony on Unsplash

I became a mom the first time when I was 22 — in fact, I’d just turned 22 not two months before my son was born. I was old enough to have some life experience. I’d lived on my own, dated around, done some partying, had a full-time job with benefits.

But there were still some serious life lessons ahead of me, of course. At such a young age, I still had more than a little left to learn. Becoming a mom gave me a crash course in a lot of them, though.

And if you’re a parent and haven’t learned these yet, take a good look around. I’d be willing to bet the evidence is right in front of you.

One person can set the mood for everyone

The old sayings are “happy wife, happy life” or “if Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy,” but the truth is it’s not just Mama. One person can set the mood for everyone around them.

Think about it for a moment. When your toddler throws a tantrum, it doesn’t take long for you to start feeling frustrated and angry — the same emotions they’re trying to express through that tantrum. A sullen teenager can make everyone around them feel depressed, irritated, or…