How did I become so dumb? - Parent vs Child in the Never Ending Battle of Knowledge

I can remember a time that is not to far in the past. A time when I was completely filled with knowledge. I knew everything. The funny part was that my parents knew absolutely nothing. They were totally clueless about being young. I didn't understand how they could not possibly know anything because they too were not old. But they didn't and it was impossible for them to understand any aspect of my life and how it felt to be young.

I remember hearing them say "I was your age once" or "I know all the tricks in the book," but still I knew they didn't. Even when they would tell me something would happen, I would still have to see if it would happen. Then I would here "I told you it would." Lucky guesses, that's all they were. I was never convinced! I knew everything.

The times were completely different when they were young. I was growing up in my time, so that made me the expert. I grew up well with endless fields of knowledge in my brain. I knew everything and I had all the answers. Well so I thought......................

When I was 21 I gave birth to my daughter. My sweet little girl just turned 10 years old. As she is entering her double digits I am starting to realize my knowledge is disappearing. Apparently this little miss know-it-all I remember myself to be is fading away rather quickly. It appears that I know nothing! How can this happen?

My daughter recently had her ears pierced. I remind her daily to turn the earrings and apply the medicine, but when I try to help she informs that I don't know what to do. What? I had my ears pierced for about 20 years now, but this fact does not persuade her to believe dumb ol' mom. When I tell her something will happen she will do it anyway, just to see if it does happen. It turns out to be just lucky guesses for mom.

I am clueless about what it is like to be young growing up in today's times. I went from a mom who's words and opinions counted, to a mom who doesn't make any sense and who doesn't know what she is talking about. Wow! The knowledge has changed places. Now I am the stupid mom and she is the little miss know-it-all!

I know one day she will have children, and honestly I can't wait to see the look on her face when she discovers her knowledge is slipping away.  Because then she will realize she didn't always know-it-all but she does now.  She will know-it-all because I taught it to her, just like my parents taught it to me.  Even though she may be totally clueless, at the same time she will be totally knowledgeable.

Life's hidden lessons are handed down from parents to children over and over again.  We learn by doing and by making mistakes.  Even though we may hear what might happen we still need to discover it for ourselves.

My mom and dad never lost their knowledge nor were they stupid, even in the face of me and my sister trying to make them think they didn't know nothing.  But they did know that one day we too would feel stupid in the repeating cycle of parents vs child battling for knowledge!