I have, on occasion, reminded my oldest daughter that I am trying to teach her how to act, live, and do things because one day, I will be gone. Her reply is usually an inquisitive (and somewhat concerned), “Gone?” No, I don’t tell her that so she can wrestle with the idea of my mortality. I tell her this because I expect that one day, she will be able to be a self-sufficient, independent adult and live her life to the fullest. That’s why my wife and I teach her and her siblings how to clean their rooms, feed the cat, make their beds, and to pick up their toys. But there beyond how to act, there’s one of many pieces of advice I will continue to instill in them as they get older.
