20 Things Adults Can Learn From Children.

As adults, we more often think that more years of experience means being wiser and more learned. However, a closer observation on children and their behaviour, will make one come to realise that children know a lot that we don’t.

We spend most of our kids' childhoods answering their questions and teaching them everything from social skills to algebra to right versus wrong. While we spend a lot of time teaching children, we fail to see that we also have a lot of things to learn from them. Children haven’t been totally tainted by the society. So, they act natural and uninhibited. To them, life comes so naturally.

You might agree with me that, every now and then, we find ourselves pausing to soak in a moment of enlightenment, courtesy of our very own children.

Allow me to just share with you a few things I personally believe that a child can teach an adult.

1. To Be Fearless

One of the most powerful lessons we can learn from children is to be fearless, for you and I know that they fear nothing. Children always want to be bold, explore and try new things. They don’t think of the consequences and stop themselves. They simply go for it and if they injure themselves, they often learn from that mistake. By being fearless they allow themselves the ability to grow.

Some of our fears may be legitimate and necessary but as adults, we often hold back from doing things because of fear! We stop ourselves from taking chances and seeing what happens.

2. Enjoy Yourself & Enjoy Life

Children enjoy being themselves and spread happiness to the people around them. They know how to enjoy life – period. Children don’t stop to think whether something is truly funny or not. They give in to their natural amusement to most things and they laugh. They laugh out loud. They laugh with abandon.

It is sad how adults can go through days without belting out a laugh. Once we’ve grown up, our smiles seem to be scarcer. We become so burdened by problems and responsibilities that our faces become contorted into a permanent frown.

Children teach us that even in moments that seem awful, there are some things in life we just can’t anticipate. Even with a great deal of planning, it’s very possible that life will throw us a curve ball.  We need to greet life’s curve balls with a sense of good humour and proactive fascination.

3. Let out Your Emotions

Adults bottle up their emotions because they don’t want others to think badly of them. However, children acknowledge and let out their emotions. They will let you know when they are hurt, confused, angry, sad, or happy. Most of the time, there is no second guessing children.

4. Children Teach Us To Always Speak up

Children have no qualms about letting you know what is on their minds. They don’t edit or censor.

Adults are afraid of speaking up because we feel like someone might have a better idea, that our opinions don’t matter, or that our feelings are not valid. We should stop acting this way and just speak up when we should.

5. It's OK to ask for help.

With the accumulation of educational degrees and more passing time we often get the feeling that we have the answers to everything.

When one is a kid, their entire life depends on the support and the help of their parents. Without them they would be nothing. Unfortunately, along the way of growing up they somehow lose the capability of being able to accept any sort of help." 

That's unfortunate, because research suggests that asking for advice can make one seem more competent and can flatter the person whose counsel they are seeking.

There's a whole world out there to explore. Every day, kids are learning something new - whether it is in school or from home. They are always interested and asking questions.

So ask questions. Read. Talk to people. Maybe even find a new hobby or skill. Discover little ways in life to learn – the opportunities are all around us.

6. Be A Free Spirit

Kids are impulsive and have no barriers. They are honest and say what they think. They never hold back. So, why do adults deprive themselves of the opportunity to express? 

Kids teach us that it is better to be yourself, than try to pretend, just to be accepted by other people. We should always learn to speak our mind, courteously – as long as whom we are talking to doesn’t allow their ego to step in. This is how we can grow as individuals.

Just be yourself and see what happens!

7. Seeing Everybody as Being Special

Have you ever noticed the admiration children have in their eyes when they look at you and everybody around you? That sparkle… Children have no social boundaries. Until a child is told to “never talk to strangers!” they have no qualms about talking to random people.

They see everybody through their innocent and beautiful eyes, and they see everybody as being special and unique and that’s exactly what we all are it’s just that our lenses are too dirty and we can no longer see reality as clearly as children do.

8. Unconditional Love

Children have no biases when it comes to love. If you smile at a child, they will beam a huge smile back at you for no reason other than your presence. Children do not love with expectation of something better in return, they just love.

When kids love you, they show it. They make cards and crafts for you. They hug and kiss you. They say “I love you”.

Children find true joy while playing with friends and they love making new ones. They join soccer teams, go to a birthday parties or start new schools. These are all ways that kids make new friends. Children adhere to the motto, “the more the merrier”.

This is difficult to employ as adults but has some amazing benefits as I learned in my experiment with love. You can even love people that you would normally despise and it feels orgasmic in comparison.

There is so much love for everyone in this world. We shouldn’t deny anyone the chance to feel loved and wanted.

9. Honesty

They say honesty is the best policy and kids have it in abundance. Granted, tact is important when giving an honest opinion, but you never have to worry about whether they are telling the truth or not. It can be difficult, to tell the truth at times, but doing so will set you free. If you find yourself in a tough situation with a friend, coworker, or family member think about how a child would answer the question (don’t forget tact). Keep things simple and honest.

10. Simplicity

Speaking of keeping things simple, kids live life without complications. There is just do or do not, there are not a million insecurities and self-doubts standing in their way when they want to do something. Keep things simple in your life, if you want to learn to play guitar, go play it. If you want to lose weight, start running, anything you want to do, you can. These obstacles are just in your head, it really can be easy.

11. Determination

When a kid wants something, they put their minds to it—whether it’s a piece of candy or a new toy—they will absolutely persist in asking for it. This is a great life lesson for us all to persist in pursuing our goals and dreams. If you’ve wanted a job and receive a “no” at first, keep working on your skills until no one can tell you “no.”

12. Imagination

Kids are great at playing make believe and creating their own worlds. If you can keep your child like innocence and pair it with imagination you can do whatever you want and create new things that come from an honest place. This imagination can help when you’re at work if you have a chance to be creative and bring life into your work. I guarantee your boss will appreciate your imagination.

13. Adventure

Kids try lots of new activities and food all the time. They are willing to fall down, get scraped up, bandaged up and then go back out and do it all again. Can you imagine trying all the things on your to-do list and going at it again if it doesn’t work out the first time? You’ll be able to have so many more adventures solo or with a group of friends.

14. Cry If Feel Like It

When children are hurt or sad – they cry. As adults somewhere along the way we have taken on this idea that it is a bad thing. Why? By crying we are releasing our emotions in a normal, healthy way – why do we try to control it? Rather we hold back the tears and keep our emotions to ourselves. How healthy is this? I’m not suggesting you start to breakdown to random strangers but try to be a little more open and vulnerable with your friends and family. Maybe it will help them do the same…

15. Give Selflessly

Children are born with a pure heart that gives naturally. When they give, it’s selflessly – they give with no expectation in return. As adults we should practice giving selflessly, or if we must have something in return – allow it to simply be a smile or the love we feel from it. Even for a positive gain, it’s better than to not give at all. 

16. Avoid Mean and Hurtful People

Children, even though they are naturally friendly, know how to recognize mean and hurtful people.

If someone makes them feel bad, they avoid the person. Children don’t waste their time pretending.

17. Listen to Your Body

Children eat when they are hungry, drink when thirsty, and sleep when they are tired. Nothing will get in the way having needs satisfied.

They don’t abuse their bodies because of the demands of life. We need to be more childlike in treating our bodies.

18. Being A Hero And Owning Own Accomplishments

Have you noticed how children own their accomplishments? No matter how small the thing they achieve is, they are proud and they share it to people they trust.

Adults should be the same way. You should always feel successful in all your endeavours. Don’t measure your accomplishments based on what others have done.

19. Dreaming Big.

Children dream big and without limits. They believe that they can be anyone they want to be.

They act as if the world is on their side and they can have what they want. I know we know better about the reality of life but that should not stop us from dreaming big.

20. Thinking Positive.

Because of all our problems, we tend to forget to think positively. We focus on the bad rather than on the good.

However, we should turn to children for a reminder that the world is not so bad.

To children, there is always something positive to look forward to. Children still have that part of us that has been restricted by the norms of society. They are humans in our natural and candid selves.

We, as adults, need to swallow our pride and admit that there is so much that we need to learn