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5 Things Children Can Teach Us

And we should listen to.

Jul 12, 2019

Rebecca Miller

I work with children every weekday for hours on end. And although they still need to learn much of life, they have certain kinds of knowledge that adults seem to lose as they age, that we should be aware of, and attempt to incorporate back into our way of living.

1. Appreciate the small things

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My favorite thing to see (way too early in the morning I might add) is a child grinning ear to ear because they can't wait to tell me about a flower they saw on the walk to camp. Moments like these, and many more, unfortunately seem to be the first thing that people forget to acknowledge the older and more pessimistic we grow. Kids have such a pure and grand view on life, that allows them to see beyond the boring drag of life, and remember not to take for granted a sunny day or disregard a complement as meaningless words.

2. Be interested in everything

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By the time we have been seemingly forced to attend 12 years of schooling about subjects we couldn't possibly dream about enjoying, it makes it more difficult to willingly seek out new ideas. But the need to learn shouldn't just dissipate as we age because we feel that we already know everything we need to know. Six year old me would be ecstatic to watch animal planet for hours on end because I wanted to find something cool to tell my parents about, and that eager self betterment view of life is something we should all hold onto.

3. Talk to others

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I walked into work and loudly exclaimed "who wants to be my friend this week??". Immediately heads and hands shot up, as 10 year olds decided that we would be best friends in a matter of seconds. I understand that it can prove to be a struggle to hold many close relationships as you age, but that doesn't mean we should become more closed off and less open to the opportunity of new friendship as we age. I can just imagine the looks of disbelief and disgust (haha) I would get if I walked into one of my lectures and posed the same question.

4. Live in the moment

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No this does not mean buy a motorcycle DAD. On the contrary, this is more of a simplistic way of exploring the world and expanding your horizons. Similar to yes theory, kids tend to say yes more than no (unless asked about chores), and this mindset allows them to soak up new experiences. If we were more like kids in this manner, we would't be afraid to ask out Jim from sales, or "too tired" to go on a road trip and hang out with friends. Shake your arms, do the wiggle, and try not to take life too seriously, live your life for you.

5. Give out endless amounts of love

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Hugs on hugs on hugs. Children grabbing me because we're pretty much besties at this point and them telling me how much they love me, is pretty much life on a daily at work. It surprised me at first, because of the culture of people my age, it seems crazy and mild inappropriate for these children to be so attached to me after a few days. But as I've come to realize, their view on life is just so pure and sweet that if someone is nice to you and shows they care about you on any level, they associate this positivity with love. Which perverse how adults use the term, is honestly a more accurate depiction on the concept of love and how is how it should be. I feel like to identify the actions of people as associations with love is a great idea that allows us to be more open and see the beauty in people. I.e. someone in front of you opening the door for you is clearly not a declaration of love, but it is a small gift they gave to you because they cared whether or not you would have to open the door yourself, and did not want to be forced to undergo this hardship (no matter how small).

So go on and try to live your life incorporating these bits and pieces of insight I've found from children.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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5 Things Children Can Teach Us

And we should listen to.

1. Appreciate the small things

2. Be interested in everything

3. Talk to others

4. Live in the moment

5. Give out endless amounts of love

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10 ways to prepare for finals week—beginning with getting to the library.

Who knows where we would be without them.

1. Thank you for laughing at my jokes, even when they really aren’t funny.

2. Thank you for singing unbearably loud with me all the time.

3. Thank you for letting me vent to you for hours about anything and basically being my personal therapist.

4. Thank you for ordering pizza with me at 2 in the morning.

5. Thank you for all the movie days when we don’t feel like moving.

6. Thank you for being my workout buddy everyday.

7. Thank you for sharing your closets with me.

8. Thank you for taking naps with me at random hours during the day.

9. Thank you for cleaning our home with me when we absolutely need to.

10. Thank you for all the rides when it’s late and you don’t want me to walk home alone in the dark.

11. Thank you for studying with me in our kitchen when we didn't want to go the library.

12. Thank you for making dinner with me.

13. Thank you for helping with my hair, makeup and outfit every time we go out.

14. Thank you for taking countless ugly pictures with me.

15. Thank you for not judging me when I go too long without showering.

16. Thank you for making our apartment feel like a second home.

17. Thank you for being there through all of our boy troubles.

18. Thank you for giving me a hug when I feel homesick.

19. Thank you for getting excited with me when one of us gets a good grade on an exam.

20. Thank you for still being my friend and not judging me when I say or do dumb things.

21. Thank you for telling me what I should do when I am sick.

22. Thank you for dancing horribly with me everywhere we go.

23. Thank you for staying up super late with me when we aren’t tired or can’t sleep.

24. Thank you for being super weird with me.

25. Thank you for all the unforgettable college memories.

26. And most of all, thank you for being the best friends a girl could have.

I may or may not be stressing right now.

1. "What do I have to study for?"

2. "What class do I need to study for the most?"

3. "I’m going to ace this."

4. "Focus!"

5."I have no idea what I'm reading."

6. "I should call my smart friend about this."

7. "I’m going to fail. I’m going to fail."

8. "I’m dropping out of school."

9. "What grade do I have to get on the final to pass the class?"

10. "Oh, no, I have to do good."

11. "I shouldn’t have procrastinated all semester."

12. "I wanna go to bed."

13. "We did not learn this!"

14. "I should go get food."

15. "Why do we even have finals?"

16. "I don’t want to be at the library."

17. "Get off your phone."

18. "I can watch Netflix for like 20 minutes and then go back to studying."

19. "I shouldn’t have watched Netflix."

20. "You have to study now!"

The "Happiest Place on Earth" has a lot of characters with some pretty great advice.

Remember you’re the one who can fill the world with sunshine. — Snow White

The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it. — Rafiki

You don't have time to be timid. You must be bold and daring. — Lumière

If watching is all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your life go by without ya. — Laverne

Sometimes the right path is not the easiest one. — Grandmother Willow

Always let your conscience be your guide. — Jiminy Cricket

To infinity and beyond. — Buzz Lightyear

Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved. — Pooh

Let it go. — Elsa

If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all. — Thumper

Today's special moments are tomorrow's memories. — Genie

It's a time of love, family, memory-making, and gift-giving. But also a time of stressing over the perfect gift.

Money

Socks

Blankets

Gift Cards

Hoodies and Sweatpants

Pajamas

Candles

A Fish

CDs

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