The 12 parenting truths I've learned from this crazy roller-coaster.

Here’s some wisdom I’ve picked up over the years.

As adults, it’s expected that our children will be the ones who learn from us, and that we will be their teachers.

But often, the opposite is true. Often, as adults, we forget that we not only have much learn from them, but that there are so many places we should revisit as well.

As such, over time I’ve received quite the education from my own children. Such as:

Just as an FYI, you should know that this post is sponsored by HP’s new Stream family. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100% authentic and written in their own words.

1. You shouldn’t ‘sweat the small stuff’.

Does it matter if all of the dishes aren’t done before bed each night? Will the world come to an untimely end if all of the beds aren’t made before noon? No. Kids remind you that sometimes it’s much more beneficial to actually hang out with them than check off some ‘To Do’ list.’

 2. They will always be better at technology than you.

Now, I consider myself to be fairly up to date with social media and technology, but what I didn’t know was that I would be forever contending with this generation of digital natives. This means that pretty much anything related to computers and/or technology will simply come easily to this generation and to those thereafter.

As such, our children should be our “go to” people when we have questions – because take it from me, they’ll get done in three minutes what could end up taking us three hours.

Mum-zilla: A one-week ban on screen time and the monstrous results.

3. I can survive without sleep.

No really, sleep deprivation is not used as a torture method by accident. Luckily however, once you reach a certain point where you can function on little to no sleep, this specialty never really goes away. Thanks, kids.

 4. We should remember our own innocence.

Until I had children, I had forgotten about the magic of the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy or Santa. Children teach you to once again believe. Because believing that there is something out there that is mystical and magical and cool also rubs off on you. And it’s wonderful.

5. You will never be faster than a two year old who has your keys inside the car.

Okay, take this one from me. NEVER, I repeat, NEVER, give your two year old your car keys to play with as you strap her into her car seat – because by the time you’ve walked around to the driver’s door, she will have locked it on you. And sure, even though she can operate your smartphone seamlessly, she will not be able to unlock your car without some kind of roadside assistance intervention.

 6. Never wear white.

I don’t think I need to explain this to anyone.

 7. One friend is worth a room full of stuff.

It gets away from us as adults, and we try to compete or “Keep up with the Joneses’”. We see our counterparts with new cars, clothes and houses and we start to wish that we could keep up. Children though usually just need a friend to be content. And we as adults should remember this too.

 8. Clothes will be ruined.

I used to spend SO much money on children’s clothing because I imagined it mattered and I was probably doing it to impress others with my daughter’s couture. Newsflash: Kids’ clothing gets soiled, destroyed and more importantly, grown out of before you’ve even had a chance to put a load on. Save your money for school uniforms. You’re going to need it.

 9. A day in each other’s company can be a revelation.

We are a modern family and as such, we spend a LOT of time on our devices. So sometimes, the best thing I have found is to take them out of their comfort zone and you know, make them interact. You’d be amazed what comes out of a 15 year-old’s mouth when she’s been reluctantly hiking for three hours.

Do I have to spend Mother’s Day with my kids?

10. Timing is everything.

Especially bedtime. This may be a little-known fact but for some reason, kids have this need to divulge their worries and fears RIGHT before they go to bed each night. It’s beautiful in its way and no different from a couple talking before they fall asleep at night. Try it.

11. A 3-year-old is louder than 100 adults in a crowded restaurant.

Kids are foghorns and really, often, they are better off kept out of establishments where other adults are trying to have a romantic night out.

 12. Superglue is forever.

Well, maybe not forever, but when a child manages to stick his own hand to the fridge, it can feel like it.

How about you? What have your children taught you?

Here are some parenting truths we can all relate to…

 What are some of the struggles you have when trying to encourage your children to study at home?

Learn from a Happy place with the HP Stream Family

Discover how the whole family can learn from a happy place with an affordable line up of cloud-based Windows devices with Intel Inside.  Complete with 1TB of OneDrive storage and Office 365 Personal for one year* and available in a range of fun colours!

Hear from Mia Freedman as she discusses why you don’t need to share your laptop with the kids anymore at hp.com.au/stream

*Terms and Conditions apply – see hp.com.au/stream