Life's lessons for my children

I have this ongoing list in my head of all the things I want to teach my children one day (the children that I hope to one day have, that is). This is a list based on things that I am thankful to have been taught, things that I didn't learn until much later in life, things I think of when I have to remind myself that I am not the parent, and just various life lessons that I think are important.

The following is my list, in no particular order... I may even come back and add a few in the future:

To truly understand what unconditional love is

 To share, be kind and thoughtful, but to know the difference between giving and giving too much of yourself

Be confident in who you are, let yourself be heard

3. To understand that not everyone is going to love you or even like you no matter how wonderful you are

Pain, like everything else, is relative. 

All food is to be tried at least once, as is (as it is prepared) without doctoring (salt, ketchup, hot sauce) because you never know if you don't try it.

6. Boys: If you take a girl on a date and unlock her car door (passenger) first, she better reach over and unlock your door (or at least hit the unlock button)
7. Girls: If a guy takes you on a date, you better reach over and unlock his door if you want a second date. But if he uses a child lock on the door in order to keep you from opening your own door, you better not go on another date with him.
8. Hard work is not just for boys and cleaning is not just for girls.
9. To be able to change a flat tire, check your fluids, and do minor maintenance on your vehicle.
10. To know that Santa Claus is based on a real historical person
11. You will make mistakes in life, WHEN you do, pick yourself up, admit to it, learn from it, and use what you learned to move forward.
12. Your happiness is your own. You have total control of it, NO ONE can take it from you unless you allow them to...
13. I will encourage them to make a list of all the simple things in life that can bring a smile to their face almost instantly so that they can review it when they need a smile.