As parents separated from our children, we often lament the loss of ability to help and guide them to maturity. However, we overlook the fact that we too, often learn from our children. Separation of that daily bond causes us to lose some of that benefit from our children as well.

I was recently reminded of this yesterday. My son was working on a history report for high school, and asked me to help him with it. The topic was on the Bulgarian role in WW-I, and he was looking for help in organizing his research on the topic.

Now, I have a huge interest in modern history, particularly in the area of modern warfare. So I was taken aback to realize my lack of knowledge of that particular topic. So, the two of us spent an evening “burning the midnight oil” to obtain facts and exchange ideas on how to put it into a report. In short, it was a tremendous learning opportunity for both of us that (hopefully) enriched both our lives.
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