Thanks for this post. I'm starting the semester in a couple of weeks, and I needed to be reminded of just how awesome students can be and how mature many of them really are when it comes to learning. The third comment from the end (about not liking school vs. the desire to learn) blew me away.

Found my way here via a tweet from @aycangulez. Thanks for a brilliant post. I'm a dad of two girls (7 and 5) and a boy (2). There were some ugly times early on as I mourned the loss of my carefree, kid-free lifestyle; and being a parent is incredibly hard work. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. I just spend a weekend with just my son, as my wife was out of town with the girls, and it was the best. Kids really do focus your life in a way that is unlike anything else. As the kids get older, remember to take individual time with each of them on a regular basis. With all that humanity swimming around in your house, it means the world to a kid to get unfiltered one-on-one time with mom or dad, just going out for breakfast or to a movie or to kick the ball around in the part. And I too was laughing hysterically at @StacyConaway's list. I have a steadily-lengthening list of "things I never thought I'd hear myself say", such as "Stop hitting your sister with the fish!"