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SALT LAKE CITY — What I wouldn’t give to be a kid again! It seems like life creeps up on the unsuspecting college graduate, and before you know it, you have a mortgage, car payments and a family of your own.
Obligations are life’s way of “making us grow up,” and we try to impart our wisdom upon our kids in a teacher-to-student type of way. Many times, though, our kids are the ones who teach us life’s lessons.
Here are at least five lessons that kids can teach grown-ups:
1. Forgive easily
This is especially difficult for a lot of folks. It’s easier to hold on to a grudge, with the expectation that the offending person will realize their mistakes and beg us for forgiveness. Have you ever apologized to a child for making a mistake? They often extend forgiveness without any hesitation, and quickly move on with having fun. The lesson to learn here is truly to forgive and move on.
2. Ask questions
If you’ve ever spent time with a 5-year-old, you’d think their questions-to-statements ratio is skewed. My son is in kindergarten and asks a lot of questions. But I love it because I know he’s learning in the process. The key for adults is to ask a question when something doesn’t make sense, and not let our pride get in the way.
3. Be straightforward
When you least expect it, kids will say what’s really on their minds. They have no qualms about telling you how they feel about your tuna casserole, or they would rather play in the snow than pose for the family Christmas cards. Likewise, grown-ups need to learn how to voice our concerns, and be honest and truthful even when it’s uncomfortable.
4. Dream big
Ask my daughter what she wants to be when she grows up, and she will say “a princess” without any hesitation. What’s stopping us from having lofty dreams like that? While our dreams may be far-removed from reality, it’s the act of dreaming that needs to be revitalized in our lives.
5. Don’t stress
Have you noticed that kids take their lives a day at a time? Adults do have adult-sized worries sometimes, and while it pays to think long term and have a big-picture mentality about life, it doesn’t do any good to worry about things. If you observe your kids when they play, you’ll notice that their whole world revolves around playing, at least for that moment in time. It’s easy to fixate on the negative, but there is a lot of good news worth talking about. Kids are often naturally positive, and we should take a step back and learn a thing or two from our children.
This list doesn’t just stop at 5. What are some lessons the children in your life have taught you? Share them on the Comment Board or the Motherhood Matters Facebook page.
Andrew Johnson is a writer and journalist, and regularly writes for major Utah publications. Read more at www.andrewjohnson1.com
