LPT: If you have kids, you need to teach them how to open jars for you. It's an essential life skill.

I'm a 34 year old mom of 2 and I never realized how much of a double standard there was between parents and non parents. I never thought twice about how much I rely on my own mom, until I became a mom. And one of the biggest things is when your hands just cramp up and you can't open anything. I've ripped corks out of wine bottles, stripped lid off of plastic Tupperware and almost broken my fingers off trying to open a jar of sauce for my kids. <br><br>And then I had a kid who could open jars, Nathan, who was the perfect kid. He learned from his parents to be helpful, and it was amazing. He'd get me a bottle of water, or a snack he could share. And my favorite thing was the jar opener. If I was making sandwiches or pasta sauce, he'd take the jar and spin it up and down until it was open. And then when I'd ask for the lid off he'd hand it to me and say "You're welcome mom!" It was so sweet.<br><br>And after he was gone and I had another kid, Sadie. Who is a good kid too but doesn't want to help. She would watch me struggle and just sit there. I asked her one time to open a jar of peanut butter. She tried. It was like watching paint dry. After 15 minutes, it was still closed. She was frustrated, I was frustrated. I did it myself. And I asked her why she didn't just ask me for help. <br><br>She said, "You're the mom, you need help more than I do." <br><br>I was shocked. I told her, "No matter what, as a parent we are here to help our kids more than ourselves. That's why we have babies, and sleep less, and work harder to give you things and teach you things. So if you need help, don't ever be afraid to ask me." <br><br>And she asked me again. "So you want me to ask you?"<br><br>I said. "Of course I do! That's what I'm here for. Now open that peanut butter jar again, and spin it." <br><br>She did, and it opened right away. I was so proud of my little kid. I smiled and said, "Thank you very much!" And she smiled back and said, "You're welcome mom." Just like my Nathan used to say.