It doesn’t matter how many books you read, how many classes you take, or how many people you talk to, nothing can really prepare you for the life-altering change that occurs when you have a baby. You expect to be the one teaching and guiding your children, but you quickly realize that you are actually the one learning from them. Here are four things that my daughter taught me that I wished I had learned earlier.
Nothing Is More Important Than Family
When that perfect gift is placed into your arms for the first time you feel this intense love that is unlike anything else you’ve ever felt. You love your spouse, your parents, and your siblings, but the love you feel for your child is unique in that it is coupled with an intense responsibility to protect and care for them. This change is made overnight where rather than staying out late with friends on the weekend, you look forward to having a family picnic and staying home watching Netflix and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
Show Your Love
It is an easy thing to show your children that you love them. You want to hug them, kiss them, comfort them, and provide for them because they are yours and they deserve the world. When you provide you children with unconditional love, they know that they can trust you and come to you for anything and then you will be able to offer them advice and direction.
I’ve noticed that when I apply this same amount of devotion into my other relationships, that there is a positive change in the people I interact with. Whether it be my co-workers, spouse, or my friends, they notice when I actively focus on providing them with the same amount of attention that I give to my daughter. This has been instrumental in strengthening every relationship in my life.
You’re Going To Miss This
Every parent who has gone through home videos is hit with a stab of sadness of the baby that they will never hold again, the little quirks that our children grow out of and their tiny voices that mispronounce every other word. Having a child has taught me to enjoy every single, chaotic second because one day they’ll be gone and you’re going to miss the tantrums and the endless questions because they were interspersed with baby kisses, and the unimaginable joy that comes from seeing your toddler’s eyes light up at Disneyland.
Forgiveness
No one is more easily forgiven than when your little girl climbs on your lap, looks at you with those beautiful blue eyes and then whispers, “I’m sorry.” Your heart instantly melts and all is forgiven as you wrap your arms around that perfect girl.
While I’ve always thought I was a forgiving person, I’ve noticed that as I’ve tried to forgive others as quickly as I’m able to forgive my daughter that I’m a happier person because I don’t hold grudges anymore.
I will be forever grateful for these four things that my daughter has taught me, and I know that as my children grow I will continue to learn and develop with them and become a better person through the lessons that they teach me.
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Eric Allred was born and raised in Rigby, Idaho. He grew up on a family farm where he learned the value of work. He graduated from Rigby High School and attended Rick’s College, now known as BYU-Idaho. He received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Utah State University, received a master’s degree in organizational behavior and human relations from the University of Phoenix and a second master’s degree in marital and family therapy from Phillips Graduate Institute. Eric has been involved in Rotary and was president of a local Rotary Club. He enjoys being with his family and doing outdoor activities such as fly fishing.
Chase was very fortunate to start in this industry as a struggling 17 year old kid looking for a mentor and something to be passionate about. Wilderness therapy was Chase’s first stop in this industry and was truly a transcendental experience for him. Chase has an enormous love for this line of work and the power that it has in creating change in everyone involved. Chase’s biggest belief is the power a mentor, strong, healthy relationships, and accountability can have on anyone, especially youth. Taking a very relational approach to his work, Chase has always been very relatable to the students he works with. Being able to understand and relate to a vast variety of the same struggles as a lot of the students he works with has been able to help him continue to grow, learn, and teach. Chase believes that with great rapport and trust, he can use his experience to continue to coach and train new staff, and has the ability to find those staff with the passion for this industry, and help them grow. His love and passion can be felt the moment you talk with Chase about this industry and he passes that on to others he works with. In his spare time you will find Chase cheering for the Eagles, Yankees, and Mavericks, hanging out with his brother, learning more about Eastern Psychology, and continuing to grow and learn.