Babies come into the world as an 'empty book'. Adults want to fill in the blanks as quickly as possible. We want to make children grown up and perfect. We teach them how to act in any situation. But are adults so perfect? Is what we teach them really good? Or are those little people, who are not influenced by the external environment, actually much more perfect than adults?
What can we learn from children?
Feel free
Children run, jump, shout and sing, no matter where they are or how they are. They feel free to do so and do not think too long. It does not matter to them who is next to them.
We are not surprised when children have such free behavior, but for adults it would be madness to sing out loud in the street. We admit it is a strange behavior. But would not it be good to express what we feel? Would not it be good to shout when we are angry or when we are happy? Feelings of shame often cause us not to be ourselves, or to hold within ourselves many feelings which in turn can cause anxiety and stress.
A life without barriers
Adults set rules, boundaries, have norms and values. Children do not have these. A child takes nothing for granted. They do not think they can behave in a certain way because they should. Children can teach us not to accept everything as it is. They can make us think of questions like "why do I keep doing this job when I don't like it"?
To discover the world without fear
Kids don’t think, “can I?”, They just do it without worry and without fear. If they are curious about something they ask or try it. Live an 'exploration journey'.
Adults do this, but only to a certain extent. If we are not sure if we can do something, we quickly put the brakes on or give up. We are afraid of failure. Children make mistakes but learn from them, so in this case adults should follow their example.
honesty
When adults say something, we are often not sure if it is true. They may 'distort' things because they do not want to hurt others or because they have something to hide. Young children always dare to tell the truth. For example, a child may say to you, "Your hair is very ugly," not thinking at all about how the other person will feel. But being true to what you say can change many things in life.
Pure feelings
When a two-year-old is angry, he may lie on the floor screaming, kicking his feet, and clapping his hands. A happy, enthusiastic child will shine with happiness. When a child is sad, he will cry and want to be comforted. They clearly tell the outside world what they feel. Of course it is better for adults not to lie on the floor shouting when they are upset, but it would also be better for them to share with the outside world what they feel. This would prevent misunderstandings, provide understanding and compassion.
Time is not gold
Time - young children are not yet familiar with this concept. They become aware of their parents that they have to rush to be somewhere in time. Children do not rush, they take it easy. They do not want to be run by time. And adults need to realize that by running after time they lose a lot of things in life. At some point you need to walk with the baby step.
taste
Give a child a small gift and he will 'fly' in the air. With a balloon or a chocolate bar, you make it as happy as with a new bike. They enjoy seeing an airplane, a bus, and a garbage truck when they are in the supermarket or feeding ducks up close. They find nothing boring or ordinary. Our world would be so much more beautiful through the eyes of a child!
