Adventure's and Life Lessons...

Lately, we've had a hard time teaching Austin just how good his life is (when he complains how "boring and horrible" his life is) compared to the times when DH and I grew up. How we didn't get all the toys they have now, or new clothes (hated the hand-me-downs), or bikes & scooters.

So a few weeks ago, DH decided that in order for Austin to understand fully the life differences of growing up with NOTHING and having to beg for odd jobs to buy food, or finding a broken lawn mower on the side of the road and fixing it yourself and pushing it up and down neighborhoods mowing lawns so he could buy socks for gym class at school, that Austin needed to SEE the difference between the house he lives in now, and houses his dad had to grow up in.

So DH packed a lunch and drove Austin the 1-1/2 hours up the hill to his childhood town. He drove him all over to the many houses they passed between, the run down country schools he had to WALK miles too, and places they use to hang out and use their IMAGINATION to entertain themselves with.

Along the way of their field trip, DH stopped off at a spot they use to hike as kids and took Austin to the creek they would swim in while they ate lunch. Austin said this was his favorite spot of the day. It was beautiful and serene. And I was so happy that DH stopped and took a few pics along the way. And let me say, they are AWESOME pics of Austin! They also grabbed a few of the creek, which in the winter time looks more like a river.

Austin hasn't said much about their day together, which usually means he learned something and is stewing on it. I'm hoping that he picks up the vibe from his dad, that he never wanted to live like that ever again, and has worked HARD all his life to make sure he had a roof over his families head. And that HARD WORK is what got him his toys he now allows himself to have.

Life lessons like these, you'll never know if they got until years later when they become adults. But I know parenting a teenager is a much harder job then parenting a newborn. We actually have to form them into little adults who can be prepared to go into the world on their own and make wise choices. And yet on the same foot, we can't force the life lessons we've already learned on them or they wont understand it, they have to LIVE the lessons themselves. That's a lesson i just learned.

XOXO