What are we taught from childhood?
Adults have always known that it’s their responsibility to raise a child and guide them in recognizing right from wrong, left and right, where to poop, how to put on their pants, how to walk on their feet, etc. However, as a parent, it is not their job to impose scare tactics on children, beat them, or verbally abuse them when they’ve made a mistake or even worse, when the adult has made a mistake. More importantly, we are taught the importance of problem solving, and empathy, critical thinking. We learn from what we see; we are all products of our environment and the way we were raised. There is no doubt a parent will implement and impose some of their beliefs and values onto their child — but here’s where some methods of guidance “fail”.
What Can We Learn From People Younger Than Us
A baby isn’t born hating others; no one is born homophobic or racist. When kids get older, it’s almost as if their childlike wonder disappears because they no longer want to be wrong; they become more close-minded. Although being an adult has its perks—it will also be filled with countless responsibilities or decisions that will make you question yourself. Slowly but surely, that curiosity and love for the world you had as a kid is tucked away in the back of your mind. We throw away our toys; we stop playing with dolls. We become more structured and less open to learning new things. But as we get accustomed to adulthood, we risk letting go of more than we should.
Most adults are viewed as the teachers, and kids, even all the way up until their teen years and early adulthood, will still look to experienced adults for guidance. But here are a few valuable life lessons we can learn from children:
It’s okay, it’s normal to feel emotion. No person should feel guilty for that. What I mean by this is, no parent or mentor needs to be perfect. If a child is experiencing difficulties, the best approach is to help them heal. A child shouldn’t have to grow up first in order to go on a soul-searching journey. Children shamelessly feel every emotion that hits them; it allows for them to be vulnerable in situations. While being transparent with your emotions is a blessing and a curse, children permit themselves to feel what they feel, which can help a lot in terms of compassion and being a perfectly imperfect child.
Furthermore, adults should enjoy their life for what it is. Unfortunately, many adults dwell in the past or daydream about their future, and they fail to see the value of what the present has to offer. At any point in time, the future is uncertain, and the past cannot be changed, but the present is totally in our control. Children are inquisitive; they are unbiased, and they question why things are done the way they are. A child’s mind is decluttered, and they do not share the same traditional views that adults may have. It’s common for adults to settle and accept things because it’s the way it always has been, and it’s what they know. By learning from these children, they’ll be able to view from a fresh perspective and new ideas on how things should be instead of how things are done.
Finally, adults hold on to their current times, where life is filled with uncertainty and hindrances. The change they need to happen will only come with effort. If they can finally accept their past to create an ideal future and release themselves from the pressure of trying to be the ideal, it results in a better state of mind. In comparison, kids in a sense, are free creatures. They don’t fear what others say about them, and they don’t create a different version of who they are to make connections with new people. Life is all about learning, and adults can either wait for the answer or figure it out themselves. Age does not reflect knowledge.
