If someone were to tell me you're being childish, I would not necessarily take it amiss. There is much that kids do naturally; which we adults seem to have forgotten how to do. Kids are instinctive and honest – even their lies are transparent. There is much that we can unlearn ---- things that we learned as part of becoming adults. There is much that we can learn --- things that we forgot when we stopped being kids.
As adults, we often become burdened with the ordinary and preoccupied with the mundane. We forget to find wonder in new things; to pay attention to the little joys of life. Kids are happy with the littlest and silliest of things. We can learn from them - how to add to the sum of joy in life.
Have you ever seen a baby trying to reach something out of their reach, learn to walk or crawl or stand without support? That kid will try, fail a thousand times, fall, and then try again. Adults afraid of failure or rejection can certainly learn from that determined never-give-up little kid.
Curiosity keeps the mind young. So long as we are curious about the world, we continue to learn. So long as we continue to learn our mind continues to expand. Being a lifelong student isn't just good for the brain, it is great for general wellbeing. It keeps us discovering and marvelling and finding joy in new things all the time.
Honesty is the most child-like trait there is. Even when kids lie, we can see right through them. Of course, some can take offence if an adult uses the same type of straightforwardness that a child does, so adults do have to learn the art of being tactful. However, being natural and truthful as far as possible is a great idea. It lets us sleep easy at night and there are far fewer misunderstandings.
Kids don’t bear grudges. They forgive easily and quickly. This is so freeing! If only we adults would also remember to forgive and move on. Not doing so means that you're dwelling unnecessarily on an event that makes little difference to someone else; and which gives that person too much power over you.
The uninhibited, truly joyous sound of a child’s laugh is a thing of beauty! a kid can have a great time with a new toy, even a plate and spoon or a bag of potatoes! There is nothing to say that adults cannot have just as much fun and laugh just as uninhibitedly. As adults, we are expected to ‘behave’ a certain way, but in the process, some of us forget how to have fun. How to have fun is a must-learn lesson from those little tykes.
They try new things. They make discoveries. They approach new people without fear of rejection. This is not to say that kids don’t have healthy self-preservative instincts. They do. It’s just that they haven’t learned to be scared of non-scary things yet. Adults will hesitate to do what their instincts tell them to because they are much too afraid of failure and rejection. We can certainly learn to be fearless from kids.
Kids love fully and unconditionally. Adult love is a lot more complicated. Adults tend to have expectations and demands and reservations and we are cautious about doling out our love. Perhaps as adults, we are afraid of making ourselves vulnerable to pain and hurt. But do we really have to safeguard our hearts so much? Kids love completely, wholly and aren't afraid to show it – somehow that seems like a lot more fun.
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