Parenting isn’t easy. We wonder if we are doing a good enough job while we juggle multiple responsibilities and watch our kids grow up too fast. Sometimes we are so caught up in teaching our children that we forget to pause and ask ourselves what we can learn from them. What if children hold the secret to a meaningful and fulfilling adulthood?
Here are 9 things you can learn from the kids in your life:
Stay present. When a child wakes up, they are not stressing about what’s on their to-do list or how to get it all done. Kids just naturally live in the moment. Adults can choose to as well.
Be spontaneous. Forget the work week drudgery and the fun-is-for-the-weekend mindset and seek more moments of joy within each day.
Find your voice. Our kids are always vying for our attention. Adults need to know they matter, too. Surround yourself with people who value you and what you have to say.
Don’t worry about what other people think. Make decisions based on what you like and not what the critics might say.
Start with a blank slate. Even if little ones go to bed pouting, they often wake up happy. A new day is a chance to start again.
Be silly and laugh for no special reason. It’s easy to make kids laugh. Adults? Not so much. Let yourself be silly for no special reason. Crack a joke. Watch a comedy and laugh out loud. Be playful with your spouse. Laughing is good for your health.
Play. Children often view every environment as an opportunity to play. What if you began filtering your world (and days) looking for opportunities to have some fun?
Make messes. Enjoy the freedom in making a mess. Channel your inner child by riding your bike through a puddle, running through the sprinkler, playing in mud with your kids or painting without worry that colors will drip on your clothes.
Notice the joy all around you. Kids find joy in the smallest of pleasures—from a firetruck that passes by to a butterfly landing near them. Start noticing and appreciating the simple little joys that surround you every day.
