As parents, we spend a lot of time educating our kids. In their early years, we teach them how to walk, read and eat (does your child have cerebral palsy and some additional needs? See this St. Petersburg cerebral palsy lawyer). As they grow up, we teach them how to study, cook, and manage money. Education is constant in our children’s lives, and they rely on us to know how to behave properly.
But education isn’t a one-way street. You may not know it, but your kids can teach you things too, if you let them. Here are 5 lessons to learn from your kids.
Play more
Children love to play. They can make a playground out of pretty much anything. But when you get older, there isn’t much time to play. The boring stuff takes over. It’s only when you see your kids playing that you remember how much fun it is. So, while it’s not appropriate to crawl around in the mud or dominate the slide in the playpark, learn to be a little more playful. What’s the point in life if you don’t have fun?
Be more forgiving
Most kids are great at forgiveness. This is because they make a lot of mistakes. They’re still learning how to behave appropriately. Forgiving is in their nature; if they didn’t forgive each other they wouldn’t maintain friendships. As we get older, forgiveness becomes a little trickier. We don’t accept mistakes as easily as our kids. But we should all learn to be a little more forgiving. Time on earth is short, and holding onto resentment doesn’t do us any good.
Be more accepting
Kids aren’t born with prejudices. They learn them over time. Most kids are more accepting than adults. They don’t see a person that’s different from them, but simply another friend to play with. We can all learn a lot from this attitude. A world without prejudice is a world we should all strive to live in. Learn from your kids by accepting people for who they are and welcoming those with different beliefs.
Enjoy the outdoors
While new technology means that kids spend more time on devices than ever before, most kids still love the outdoors. They have tonnes of energy and this can only be used up running around a park or beach. So, learn to love the outdoors as much as your children. Fresh air and exercise is good for us all.
Be yourself
Kids are truly authentic versions of themselves. Their personalities shine brightly because they don’t know anything else. While we might change our behaviour depending on who we’re with, kids will always be themselves. They’re authentic, honest and unique – something we should all aspire to be.
