My Teacher, My Son: Can Be Our Most Valuable Teachers

While there is an endless array of parenting literature available at our fingertips, anyone who is a parent knows firsthand that the most valuable lessons come from the day-to-day experiences you have with your own children.

“As our kids watch us and learn, they often assume that we are these perfect human beings who will show them the way,” says accomplished executive coach and author Nick Shaw. “As we all know, nothing could be farther from the truth. We are all works in progress.”

On February 19th, 2019, tragedy struck as Nick and his wife Susie lost their beloved son, William, in a devastating ski accident during a family vacation in Big Sky, Montana. William was their first child.

In the days after William’s death, amidst the fog of deep grief, the phrase “my teacher, my son” came to Nick in a moment of clarity. In that instant, he realized that William had been teaching him powerful lessons since the day he was born. In his debut book My Teacher, My Son, these lessons find their way to the world at large.

“All three of my sons have pushed me to be a better person because of the lessons they have taught me. It’s ironic that I am learning from them so that I can teach them. I guess it’s what evolution is all about: a self-reinforcing positive cycle of learning – and love.”