Learning to be children

This as I sat in my Aikido class, stressing about the noise my young children were making in the "audience" I was struck by a certain irony: 

Here we were, 15 grown men, solomnly listening to an Aikido master talking about importance of being happy and living in the present, while my children, with no instruction, joyously played without the slightest thought of anything beyond that moment. In other words, the mental state that requires years of disciplined training in an adult, exists effortlessly in children. Instead of being embarrassed about my girls disturbing the class, I should probably proudly present them as ideals!

I had always worried that maybe I wasn't teaching my children well (or at all!) but now I find they have much to teach me... I now feel that my main parental responability is to simply be a worthy example. The first step should be learning to love myself and especially my kidneys! (maybe I should keep the ultrasound photos in my wallet...)