Lessons learned through the eyes of being a parent

Sometimes when I am faced with difficult people, I think, what would I tell my kid if the situation was his and he was asking for advice. I was visualizing my kiddo at school and having to deal with a kid who was being nonsensical or mean, and this is what I saw:

• Can you remove yourself from the situation? That would be the easiest, but it is not always possible.

• Can you accept the person/situation? There are difficult people and situations, but if you can accept them, you can look passed them.

• Can you participate in an alternative way? Shift focus, make new friends, etc

• Can you ignore the bad behavior? Buddha would say enemies exist to help us practice tolerance and become enlightened.

• No matter what you do, stay aligned to your values. This is not a question; it's the most important piece of advice I could give. You do not have to become hard or sad when you experience difficult people or situations in life. You may need to detach from certain things; you may need to change your circumstances if you can, but you never have to give up your values -- what you love about life -- who you are.

It was enlightening to think through the eyes of being a parent. Thanks son!