What was your favorite part of today?
What is something good you did today?
What is something you learned today?
These three questions are the topics of our dinner conversation every night. As we sit down to dinner as a family, we go around the table and take turns answering. The kids quickly answer their favorite part of the day first, they oftentimes struggle with something good they did (because, kids), and they spend time pondering what they learned.
My answers rarely vary, my favorite part is usually some type of food, activity with the kids, or taking time for myself (whatever that looks like). Something good I did is exclusively “I got a lot of work and/or writing done.” But it’s that last question that has really tripped me up lately and triggered some existential dread.
The Importance of Learning
What DID I learn today? What have I learned lately? When did I stop learning? What kind of example am I setting for my kids if my answer is always “I didn’t learn anything today”?
I’m constantly learning as a parent. What works and what doesn’t. The wrong way to make mac and cheese (yes, apparently there’s a wrong way), and the right way to tuck the blankets around a moody 7-year-old.
I am constantly learning in my career. I’m learning new tools, resources, trends, ideas, tips, and tricks. I’m learning different communication styles and adapting to an ever-changing environment.
As a wife I’m learning what makes my partner tick; what makes him happy; what he needs. I’m still learning his thought process behind leaving socks next to the hamper and not in it, something I will likely continue trying to learn until the end of time.
The common theme seems to be yes, I’m learning, but I’m learning things that enhance the lives of others.
Would I love to get the perfect portion of milk to cheese powder so my children don’t refuse lunch? Absolutely!
Would I love to be the absolute best at my job? You bet.
Would I love to know my partner in and out, never fight and have the dirty socks start showing up in the hamper? One hundred percent, yes.
All of these things would bring me joy, happiness, and a sense of accomplishment, but they’re not scratching that itch I didn’t even know I had until recently.
That is to learn something for me. As a parent, we inadvertently measure our self-worth and success based on the happiness of others, and that’s ok. I want my family to be happy and I will do everything in my power to ensure they are. But lately, I’ve found myself wanting to be more proactive and seek out opportunities to enhance my life in other ways.
What Do You Want to Learn?
I’m slowly taking inventory of my interests, hobbies, and sources of happiness to answer the question, what would I like to learn to take my happiness to the next level? What would make me feel accomplished as an individual, not just as a mom, employee, wife, or friend?
As I slowly start to compile a list of learning opportunities, I realize my answer to that third and final question needs to change. “Nothing” is no longer an acceptable answer.
The next time it’s my turn to answer, “What is something you learned today?”, I look forward to responding with “this is what I’d like to learn _____, and this is how I plan to learn it.”
What are you learning?
