I do not want to teach my kids facts and figures, or long division. I do not want to teach them things they can learn from books or about things money can buy. I want to spend my breath; my energy; their attention span, teaching them the important things.

I want to teach my kids about the power of faith; about the peace that comes with a close relationship with God.

I want to teach my kids that vulnerability is courageous. That sharing hard feelings makes them brave.

That reading gives them power and freedom.

That hope is ALWAYS a choice.

That compassion is an essential nutrient to give and receive.

That humility is an expectation I have of them.

That humans are fallible, even me.

That faith and family come first.

That lifelong learning is a gift.

That movement is therapy and physical abilities should never be taken for granted.

That God will never leave us nor forsake us.

That challenges build perseverance.

That through God all things are possible.

That we can learn to be content, in times we have much, and in times we have little, we can learn to be content through our faith.

That every darkness has stars.

That good things take time; that the best things take a lifetime.

The Golden Rule.

The power and freedom of forgiveness.

Self-love.

The Serenity Prayer.

That kindness is a muscle.

That the present is a gift.

No, I do not want to teach my kids simple things like arithmetic. I want to teach them the things that matter.

Matters of the heart. Matters of the soul. Matters of the spirit.