I must have been an advanced child. You see, I never went to kindergarten. Oh, they had it way back then (uh, 60 years ago), but I didn’t go for some reason.  I went straight to the first grade!  I must have missed a few things though, as best-selling author Robert Fulghum reminds in his classic book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.  It could be, that I missed a few of those lessons, and that would explain a lot. Well, these past few months trying to go over my grandson’s schoolwork, who happens to be in kindergarten, has definitely shown me that I don’t know a lot of things.  Like how to teach a kindergartener.  It’s hard, man. My hats off to teachers.  Now mind you, I have taught numerous classes in college and Master’s level students in seminary. But a six year old?  It was a challenge.  I thought I had A.D.D., but I’m a rookie compared to a kid!  I also know nothing about discipline or structure. I might also be lazy.

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So this got me thinking of all those life lessons I missed by not going to kindergarten.  Surely missing those is haunting me now on some level.  I hope and pray that my grandson didn’t miss any of those critical life lessons by having his PopPop teach him instead of a professional.  Thank God for the iPad and Google Classroom and ABCMouse! Technology may have saved my keister. And Thankfully my grandson is extremely bright and knew it all anyway.  Must take after his MiMi and not me.

But to be honest, I may have learned more from his Kindergarten experience than he did.  You might say, “it’s about time Stan”; or “better late than never Stan”; “or you can teach an old dog new tricks Stan. ” And you wouldn’t be wrong. Because I have learned a lot this spring.

I have learned these lessons from my grandsons: Kids want to learn, and have a natural curiosity.  And they learn in a myriad of ways.  I was at first concerned about “screen time” with their devices, they are after all, a convenient  baby sitter.  But they have learned a lot for the many educational videos and cartoons that are on platforms such as “YouTube Kids.” My two year old grandson will wow you with his knowledge if you listen to him.  My kindergartener is non-stop questions.  My impatient self wants to tell him (and sometimes does), to put a lid on it, to give it a break, but that’s for my benefit and not his.  He really is thirsty for knowledge.  And the day is coming all too soon when he will not want to ask me anything. So be patient and encourage those questions!

Kids need acceptance and unconditional positive regard. They crave your approval. Heck, we all crave approval.  As an adult you are their world.  Nothing is better than making them your world too.

Kids want to have fun and laugh when they learn. That is job one for them. They want to have fun! What’s wrong with that? As an aging adult, it’s hard to have fun at times. We could certainly learn from that in this all too serious world.  I am cognizant of the fact, that I have to work at not be becoming a grumpy old man. Nobody can help with that goal like a child.

Kids have a way of understanding what is important.  Or maybe better, who is important.  And what is more critical than that?

Kids do best when they learn in a context of love. This context is the difference between success and failure. Not only while they are a child, but in the future too.

And what about me? I have learned more about myself than I imagined.  Now, some of these lessons I have been confronted with before now, some many times, but nothing like learning them afresh from a little guy that is honest and straightforward in his thoughts, and even in his criticisms loves you to the core.

I have learned that I need to be way more patient.   I am patient enough to get by, but not patient enough. Like I said, my hats off to all the school teachers, they have a very hard job. They deserve our utmost respect.

I have learned that I need to better understand what tough love is. There is no easier manipulation than a grandchild pulling the heartstrings of a grandparent. It is way too easy for them, and they are pros at it from very early on. We have to remember that there’s some things that have to be done for their best interest, whether they like it or not, we like it or not, cooperate with it or not, or pitch a fit about it or not.  The truth is, they are loving and forgiving, and will think no less of you if you are tough in a loving context.

I have learned that I need to be okay with being inconvenienced for the sake of others.  At our core, most of us are best at looking out for ourselves.  There are things I would rather do that be emotionally beat up by a six year old who doesn’t want to cooperate.  But none of the things I want to do are as important in this short season of influence.  I can waste all my time as I wish in a few years.

I have learned that I need to have the same intentionality with kids that I had in business for 36 years. The skills that made me successful and the ones that were necessary for me to do my best in work also apply when doing much more important work, that of helping my grandchildren. “To Do” list-check.  Daily schedule-check.  Introspection and self-evaluation-check.  Mission statement-check.  Intentionality-check.  Performance appraisal-nah, never liked them. Paycheck-priceless.

I need to really listen, like I taught hundreds of others to do all those years.  I taught about the diagnostic, supportive and therapeutic functions of listening, and guess what?  The stuff works on kids too. (Also see being more patient above).

I need to never fail at being Christian in my talk and actions to the littlest and least. It’s way too easy to lose your cool around kids. I am a big man in my grandchildren’s eyes, and I need to be consistent and worthy of that admiration. After all, I need to never forget that I am someone who is very important’s hero.

What lessons have the kids in your life taught you?  It’s worth pondering.   Jesus said in Matthew 19:14: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  And I for one, believe him. If you don’t, just talk to a kindergartener.