14 Things Adults Can Learn from Children ...

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Children don’t stop to think whether something is truly funny or not. They give in to their natural amusement to most things and they laugh. They laugh out loud. They laugh with abandon. It is sad how adults can go through days without belting out a laugh.

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Once we’ve grown up, our smiles seem to be scarcer. We become so burdened by problems and responsibilities that our faces become contorted into a permanent frown. But with children, they still manage to smile even when the world is frowning.

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We bottle up our emotions because we don’t want others to think badly of us. However, children don’t act that way. They acknowledge and let out their emotions. Children will let you know when they are hurt, confused, angry, sad, or happy. Most of the time, there is no second guessing children.

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Children have no qualms about letting you know what is on their minds. They don’t edit or censor. Adults are afraid of speaking up because we feel like someone might have a better idea, that our opinions don’t matter, or that our feelings are not valid. We should stop acting this way and just speak up when we should.

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When kids love you, they show it. They make cards and crafts for you. They hug and kiss you. They say “I love you”. There is so much love for everyone in this world. We shouldn’t deny anyone the chance to feel loved and wanted.

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Children, even though they are naturally friendly, know how to recognize mean and hurtful people. If someone makes them feel bad, they avoid the person. Children don’t waste their time pretending.

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Children eat when they are hungry, drink when thirsty, and sleep when they are tired. Nothing will get in the way having needs satisfied. They don’t abuse their bodies because of the demands of life. We need to be more childlike in treating our bodies.

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Children don’t look in the mirror and criticize their bodies. They don’t worry about their clothes. Children don’t find fault in themselves. Instead, children enjoy and love their bodies. We should stop the self-hate and have more of self-love.

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Too often, adults don’t do things they enjoy for so many reasons. With children, they just do whatever it is that they enjoy. They draw or paint even if the results are just squiggles. They dance even if they are not really coordinated. They sing even if no one can understand the words.

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Have you noticed how children own their accomplishments? No matter how small the thing they achieve is, they are proud and they share it to people they trust. Adults should be the same way. You should always feel successful in all your endeavors. Don’t measure your accomplishments based on what others have done.

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Children dream big and without limits. They believe that they can be anyone they want to be. They act as if the world is on their side and they can have what they want. I know we know better about the reality of life but that should not stop us from dreaming big.

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The imaginations of children have not been exposed to the critical world. Children have no problems thinking about fantastical and creative things. Despite knowing about limitations, we shouldn’t let them stop us from brainstorming the craziest and boldest ideas. Who knows, the next great thing might be one of those ideas?

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Children have no other agenda in their life but to have fun. They go to a party and they don’t worry about the calories in the food. They play with other kids and have fun. They go swimming and don’t worry about their shape. They splash around in the water and have fun. We should also try to have fun everyday whether we are at work or at home.

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Because of all our problems, we tend to forget to think positively. We focus on the bad rather than on the good. However, we should turn to children for a reminder that the world is not so bad. To children, there is always something positive to look forward to.

Children still have that part of us that has been restricted by the norms of society. They are humans in our natural and candid selves. We, as adults, need to swallow our pride and admit that there is so much that we need to learn and be reminded of. Let us look to children and allow them to be our mentors in the art of living.

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