5 Things To Learn From A Kid | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

5 Things To Learn From A Kid

Parents aren't the only ones with something to teach.

15
5 Things To Learn From A Kid

The smallest humans among us are usually inundated with education from the moment they arrive in the world. We teach them how to eat and how to dress and how to act. We teach them so one day they can grow up and teach their kids the rights and wrongs of the world. But in all this teaching, we ignorantly think we are the only ones with anything to teach. These reminders force us to grow back down to our own childhoods, when we hadn’t yet been told all we were “supposed” to know.

It just so happens that children often have a few things to teach us as well:

1. Imagination

The world gets smaller as we grow older. We stop seeing grocery carts as rocket ships and treehouses as castles. Home Depot slowly becomes a hardware store instead of a giant game of hide-and-seek. One day you realize clouds aren't fluffy pillows you can jump on like trampolines. Kids see the world as an adventure. When they play knights and dragons, they truly see their broomstick as a valiant steed. As we find more and more of our dreams to be disproven, we are discouraged from possibility and magic. Never let adult practicality outweigh a childlike sense of wonder. There is magic in the world, and somewhere along the way we forgot to acknowledge it.

2. Ask Questions

"Why?" they say, for the millionth time. "Why do you always take the same way home?" "Why is the sky blue?" "Why isn't it Christmas yet?" Kids never stop questioning the world around them. While this might be the epitome of annoying qualities, once you've been told to be quiet enough times, you stop asking. Children are a reminder to start questioning again -- why do you take the same way home every day?

3. Courage

Kids are free from humiliation and embarrassment. They dance when they want to dance, and love what they want to love, and will be whatever they want to be. They will never stop themselves. Children haven't learned failure yet, and they blindly charge into life like they are indestructible. This is such a limitless mentality, that becomes so crushed in adulthood. Childhood courage is still a part of us, however much growing up tried to teach it out of us.

4. Getting Dirty

One day after church, when my brother was just a toddler, we found him sitting in the middle of a mud puddle, clothes completely ruined, happy as can be. Kids climb trees and hop fences and roll around in the dirt. Every pair of pants has grass stains smeared into the knees. An important part of growing up is learning not to get dirty anymore. Don't ruin your clothes, don't step in mud, don't get chocolate cupcake all over your face. I suppose it's important that we keep these things in mind for the most part. But I hope that your inner child allows you to have at least one pair of pants with grass stains in the knees.

5. Blind Positivity

In the end, children are simply as resilient as anything. A skinned knee or a broken toy are catastrophic, but temporary. For a child, the sun will always rise again tomorrow. Meltdowns are lost with the day, and every morning is another beginning. Perhaps children are not faced with the complexity of adult problems. But if you look closer at your complex, adult problems, they truly are not any worse than skinned knees or broken toys. Meanwhile, no matter what the problem is, the sun will always rise again tomorrow.

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

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

69432
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

3491
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less
Health and Wellness

10 Hygiene Tips For All College Athletes

College athletes, it's time we talk about sports hygiene.

7602
Woman doing pull-ups on bars with sun shining behind her.

I got a request to talk about college athletes hygiene so here it is.

College athletes, I get it, you are busy! From class, to morning workouts, to study table, to practice, and more. But that does not excuse the fact that your hygiene comes first! Here are some tips when it comes to taking care of your self.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments