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There are some lessons in life that can’t necessarily be taught through spoken word. You just have to learn what the right way is handle to something, by doing things the wrong way. Of course there are lessons parents try to tell their kids young, but they mean nothing to them at the time. So many such lessons are just finally ringing true for me now, and as I get older everything my parents said back in the day makes sense. That being said, if we can try to get kids to understand some concepts from a young age—if we can perhaps let them learn from small, inconsequential mistakes when they’re just children—we can keep them from learning those lessons through making huge, life-changing, can’t-take-back adult mistakes. Here are life lessons many parents fail to teach their kids, but should definitely teach them.
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Hard work doesn’t always pay off as hoped
It’s good to encourage kids to work hard, but here’s the kicker that every adult knows: hard work doesn’t always pay off the way you hoped it would. Life is rarely formulaic. Sometimes, you will work your butt off, face immense setbacks, and still have to find it in you to keep working, just having faith that you’ll be the victor one day. And it may take five times as long as you’d hoped. It’s important for kids to know that, so they don’t quit soccer when they just win second rather than third place in a tournament. Or quit a job when they get passed up for a promotion.
