Dear Me: Part II. Things my younger self would tell me now

1. Use your imagination more.  Just because you are an adult, does not mean you can’t play make-believe.
2. Remember, what you do is much more important than what you say.
3. Teach your kids how to think, not what to think.
4. There is no such thing as saying “I love you” too much.
5. 5 minutes is really not that long.  You are never too busy to play with your kids.
6. Just because you know that your son and daughter will “find someone else” when they go through a breakup, don’t forget how much it can hurt at the time.
7. Because I said so is not really an answer.
8. Go easy on your kids.  Remember, you broke a window once.  And a lamp.  And…
9. Just because it’s not the fad that you went through, doesn’t mean it’s stupid.
10. Remember, the music you listened to growing up was just bad noise to your parents too.
11. Just because you’re an adult, doesn’t mean you can’t listen.
12. You cannot prevent your kids from making mistakes.  You have made plenty in your life and you turned out okay.
13. You don’t always have to have the answer.  Sometimes an ear to bend is all that is needed.
14. Talk with your kids, not to them
15. I know you are busy, and you don’t think it is that exciting, but bring your kids to work with you once.  Remember how cool it was to see that “mysterious” place your dad went to every day.
16. Always remember, to the world you may be one person, but to one person you are the world.