When I think of a toddler, I don’t always immediately think of the fun moments. I often go to the temper tantrums, accidents, messes and general “mayhem” that accompanies this stage of childhood. But every once in awhile, I sit back and envy my precocious toddler. A mere 2 years into her little life, she has a zest for life that will sadly only get dampened as she gets older. I love seeing the world through her eyes, and it makes me appreciate so much more when I’m with her. If I really think about it, there are many things that she teaches me every day. Here are just a few of the lessons she’s been teaching me lately!
1. Never Give Up
If there’s one thing that young people can show us, even without words, it’s to never give up. Do you know how many times they have to keep trying to learn to crawl and walk? And don’t even think about learning to talk! Toddlers are determined beings, who don’t even know what it is to give up. They fall tens of times every day, but that doesn’t stop them from trying over and over again. They also learn the art of repetitive questioning (aka harassment) and use it to their advantage, such as “mom, cookie. mom, cookie. mom, cookie….”. You get the idea!
2. It’s Ok To Let Your Feelings Show
Have you ever tried to shush your crying child in a public place? Good luck! Toddlers embrace their feelings whole heartedly and when they feel, they do it with every fiber of their being. As adults, we tend to hide our feelings because we don’t want our kids scare our children. But everyone is entitled to their emotions and we can all benefit from a cathartic cry now and then. It also models healthy emotional reactions to our kids!
3. Love Life
Most parents agree they love seeing the world through their children’s eyes, because they see and experience everything with powerful love. Toddlers are not afraid of rejection, because they have no idea what it is. So they love people, their toys and the simple flowers at the end of the driveway with reckless abandon. What a way to live!
4. Be Selfish Sometimes
When you’re a toddler, every day is pretty much about you. I want my milk cup, I don’t want to do that, pick me up. You know the drill. And while adults shouldn’t make everything about them (we don’t tend to like those people too much!), we can learn to be a little selfish now and then. It’s perfectly fine to take “me” time and hit up the gym or have a date night with your spouse. You have to take good care of yourself before you can take good care of others!
5. Don’t Worry About What Other People Think
Toddlers don’t care who stares at them if they have a temper tantrum, they just keep on screaming. They embrace who they are, because no one tells them they should be any different. In short, they are true to themselves. I don’t have to explain how much better off we’d be as adults if we embraced this same philosophy! Sure, we need to be conscientious of others, but we don’t have to change who we are to please others.
6. Be Honest
Have you even been the recipient of an embarrassing observation of a toddler? Something like “you have a booger hanging out of your nose?” While it may have caused a little humiliation in the moment, kids just tell it like they see it. They don’t cover up their true feelings, even if means being brutally honest. Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to be PC about everything too?
7. Appreciate the Small Stuff
The most simplest things seem like monumental occasions to a toddler. Seeing a deer in the backyard, a huge balloon or a flock of seagulls is the stuff things are made of. Children appreciate the beauty in the world, no matter how many times they see it. They teach us to truly stop and smell the roses.
Karly Wood
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Karly Wood
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