Whether you’re a parent, teacher, aunt or uncle, we all hold some responsibility to teach children values, information, and to act as a healthy role model. All our positive influences can help provide children a good start in life and boost their potential for the future. But let’s take a look at what children can possibly teach the grown-ups.

Don’t let anything stop you

We have a tendency to cancel plans, Got a sore finger? — Cancelled! It’s raining? — Cancelled!

Children, however, don’t let anything stop them. If there’s a bit of rain, just grab your kid's waterproof jacket. If they’ve got a sore finger? Just get someone to kiss it better. If we did this, we would enjoy our time so much more, as kids never cease having fun. Also, be sure to try new things — get out there and explore! No excuses!

Enthusiasm

Mention anything to a child and they generally will get excited for it. If they’re doing an activity, they will try to complete it as best as possible to try and be the ‘winner’. In doing so, they spur each other on to do the same. How useful would this be for us to do too? It will make you strive to be the best you can possibly be, as well as help encourage everyone around you to do the same.

Live in the moment

Children have nothing to worry about, no deadlines coming up, nothing waiting around the corner to surprise them. How do they act because of this? They make the most of every moment, looking to have as much joy as possible in the moment. Our youngsters tend to have a shorter outlook on life, and by not fretting about the future they simply spend their time learning and having fun! We can get too bummed down by deadlines and upcoming things, so we often forget to enjoy ourselves in the present. Take a break from it and have fun — go somewhere, see your friends, or create your own eco-friendly garden, it’s up to you.

Forgiveness

The playground can be a competitive place, and arguments and disputes are bound to happen. The best part about this though is that the children tend to forgive and forget, perhaps quicker than an adult would do so. Often, time spent mulling an argument over internally isn’t a positive approach, as we are focusing on the dispute itself rather than weighing out a solution for it. Whether we feel at odds with a colleague or a loved one, having the ability to process this feeling and forgive rather than carry a grudge can prove extremely beneficial — allowing us to get on with the important things in life.

Honesty

Another value that we can pick up from the young ones is honesty. Children are not afraid to speak their mind, and they have no real filter — but of course, they’re excused for naivety! Although we don’t want to be rude to one another, having some honesty and saying exactly what you think can be beneficial for all parties. At work it can lead to the best results possible, as criticism leads to improvements and people will consider one another as more trustworthy. Sometimes, we might feel that something on our mind wouldn’t be warmly received if we expressed it out loud but taking the plunge and being honest could actually prove helpful! For example, by doing so at work, you might come up with an idea or approach that none of your colleagues have considered before!

Don’t be afraid of what others think

Children often don’t take criticism from peers; they hold themselves in high esteem and don’t care what anyone has to say about them. But in adulthood, we experience a lot of nerves and are quite self-conscious as to what other people’s opinions are about us. If we can adopt the mindset of only caring about what you think of yourself, people will be much more comfortable and outgoing.

These are good values for everyone to follow, but if you think of some as unachievable, ask yourself how children can do it without instruction. It just comes naturally to them. So maybe we should take a leaf out of their book.

Sources:

https://www.awakenthegreatnesswithin.com/5-essential-lessons-adults-can-learn-from-children/

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4968/5-Things-We-Can-Learn-From-Children.html

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2017/03/five-essential-things-we-can-learn-from-children/

https://wehavekids.com/family-relationships/Lessons-We-can-All-Learn-From-Children