Life with a toddler is never boring. It certainly isn’t easy, but it’s always interesting.

Our days are spent looking out the window for squirrels, having pretend picnics in under the table, and turning diaper boxes into fire engines. One minute my three-year-old is singing along to “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” happy as can be, and the next he bursts into tears and crumples to the floor because his little brother is playing with his yellow dump truck.

Toddlers need a lot of guidance, reminding, and teaching. Sometimes I feel like all I ever do is tell my son what he needs to do. It’s no wonder kids go through a phase where their favorite word is no! If I had someone directing my every move I’d want to exert my independence a little, too.

I am realizing that in the midst of telling him what to do, he is teaching me, too. If I pay attention, it’s amazing what I can learn from this little person.

It makes sense. In Matthew 18:3, Jesus says, “Unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Here are three things I’m learning from my toddler:

1. Ask for Help

It can be annoying the number of times my son asks me for help every day. I know he can walk down the steps by himself. But still he asks to hold my hand. And he can climb into his car seat, but still he says, “Help me, mommy. Help me.”

I’ll be honest, sometimes helping him is the last thing I want to do. Then I remind myself that soon he won’t always need or want my help. And maybe I should ask for help more often.

He doesn’t think twice about asking me to help him with anything and everything — whether it’s putting on his shoes, getting a book off a high shelf, or moving a heavy chair.

I am the opposite. Asking for help is usually the last thing I do.

When my husband is out of town for days on end and my kids are cranky and crazy and someone offers to bring us dinner, my first instinct is to say no thank you. And if someone asks if I need help with getting the groceries into the car while wrangling kids into car seats, I am quick to say I’m fine.

But when I refuse help from others, what I’m really saying is, I don’t need you. Sure, maybe I can do it by myself, but that doesn’t mean I have to or even that I should.

I am learning that it is good to ask for help. When I ask for help, it forces me to be humble. To depend on someone else. And to admit that I can’t do everything on my own.

2. Delight

It doesn’t take much to excite a toddler. Whether it’s the simple act of blowing bubbles in the bathtub, a special rock that he dug out of his dirt pile, or the promise of a walk to the park with the big tire swing, his eyes light up and he jumps up and down and says, “Look, Mommy, look!” countless times in a day.

Spending time with my son makes me realize how jaded I am. I don’t pay attention to the way the raindrops dance on the driveway or see how the bunnies scamper through the grass. I don’t even notice the big blue truck parked across the street.

Jesus calls us to embrace childlike innocence. In Matthew 11:25, He says, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.”

The more time I spend with my son, the more I notice the little things. I am learning to retrain my eyes and ears to the things that are new and exciting to a three-year-old.

Some days are harder than others, but every day has its sweet moments if I look for them. Like a sunny morning and an impromptu play date at the park or a tantrum-free trip to the grocery store. The Lord showers me with blessings each and every day. I just have to have to open my eyes to see them.

3. Focus

Toddlers are experts at tuning everything out and focusing on one thing. Next time you’re with a three-year-old, notice how intent he is when he is building a tower or coloring a picture. He’s not thinking about what he’s going to do next or worried that he won’t finish before dinner. When he sets his mind to do something, he is single minded.

I, on the other hand, am endlessly distracted. Instead of doing one thing well, I try to tackle five things at once. There’s a time and a place for multitasking (like when you’re trying to feed the baby, entertain a toddler, and get dinner ready before dad gets home from work), but there is also a time to stop and pay attention to one thing.

I am learning to stop and play with my son without distractions.

Even if it’s only for 10 minutes, it’s good for me to build with blocks, read books, and tickle him silly without checking my phone, folding laundry, or putting away the toys. He deserves my undivided attention.

As a mom, it is my responsibility to raise my children well. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older they will not leave it.” I still have a lot of things to teach my sons, but I am learning to be aware of what I can learn from them.

What are you learning from your toddler?