10 lessons my kids have taught me.
A thread...
A thread...
Lesson 1:
Stories drive our understanding of the world
As kids, all we heard were stories.
True stories.
Fiction.
Mythology.
And these stories shaped up our worldview.
Our fears, hopes, desires and imagination stems from these stories.
Stories drive our understanding of the world
As kids, all we heard were stories.
True stories.
Fiction.
Mythology.
And these stories shaped up our worldview.
Our fears, hopes, desires and imagination stems from these stories.
But as grow up, logic takes over.
1+1 becomes 2 and nothing else.
History becomes fact and nothing more.
Nature becomes evolution and nothing beyond.
And we forget how much we loved stories.
We forgot how, hearing stories, makes us go back to who we were!
1+1 becomes 2 and nothing else.
History becomes fact and nothing more.
Nature becomes evolution and nothing beyond.
And we forget how much we loved stories.
We forgot how, hearing stories, makes us go back to who we were!
Lesson 2:
We were born with curiosity.
EVERY kid is curious.
They ask endless questions.
Whether to know, to irritate or to engage.
But questions they ask.
And then parents and school crush that curiosity.
We were born with curiosity.
EVERY kid is curious.
They ask endless questions.
Whether to know, to irritate or to engage.
But questions they ask.
And then parents and school crush that curiosity.
We are told to listen and not ask.
We are rebuked if the questions are "dumb"
We are discouraged if the questions are too many.
We were all curious.
Until the world killed the curiosity!
We are rebuked if the questions are "dumb"
We are discouraged if the questions are too many.
We were all curious.
Until the world killed the curiosity!
Lesson 3:
There is no future or past. Everything is now!
Ever seen a kid wondering about the future? Stressed about it? Excited about it?
Rarely.
They don't think about the future.
Ever seen them remember details of the past, thus reigniting the emotions they felt then?
No!
There is no future or past. Everything is now!
Ever seen a kid wondering about the future? Stressed about it? Excited about it?
Rarely.
They don't think about the future.
Ever seen them remember details of the past, thus reigniting the emotions they felt then?
No!
Kids are always living in the moment.
They are intently focused on the now!
And then we tell them to start thinking of the future.
"What will you do once you grow up?"
All they wanted was to enjoy now.
We told them you could enjoy tomorrow, if you gave up on now!
They are intently focused on the now!
And then we tell them to start thinking of the future.
"What will you do once you grow up?"
All they wanted was to enjoy now.
We told them you could enjoy tomorrow, if you gave up on now!
Lesson 4:
Kids don't judge
This fascinates me the most.
They do not see skin color, gender, religion, wealth.
They just see other kids that they can play with.
Or not.
For them, another kid's worth is determined by how much fun they have playing with that kid
Kids don't judge
This fascinates me the most.
They do not see skin color, gender, religion, wealth.
They just see other kids that they can play with.
Or not.
For them, another kid's worth is determined by how much fun they have playing with that kid
And then bam!
The world takes over.
We begin to see color, race, religion, money, before we see the person.
We form opinions, before we form conversations.
The world takes over.
We begin to see color, race, religion, money, before we see the person.
We form opinions, before we form conversations.
Lesson 5:
Kids don't see risk or failure. They just see adventure.
Climbing a chair isn't risky.
It is adventurous.
Jumping off the bed isn't risky.
It is adventurous.
Playing in the mud isn't dirty.
It is adventurous.
Getting wet in the rain isn't risky.
It is adventurous.
Kids don't see risk or failure. They just see adventure.
Climbing a chair isn't risky.
It is adventurous.
Jumping off the bed isn't risky.
It is adventurous.
Playing in the mud isn't dirty.
It is adventurous.
Getting wet in the rain isn't risky.
It is adventurous.
And then the prescriptions start.
You will get hurt.
You will get dirty.
You will fall sick.
You will fall short.
You will fall.
You will fail.
DON'T DO THIS!
You will fail!
We kill the adventure!
You will get hurt.
You will get dirty.
You will fall sick.
You will fall short.
You will fall.
You will fail.
DON'T DO THIS!
You will fail!
We kill the adventure!
Lesson 6:
Kids express their emotions. They don't hide them.
They hug.
They kiss.
They smile.
They snuggle.
They laugh.
They cry.
They are sad when you leave.
And happy when you arrive.
Kids express their emotions. They don't hide them.
They hug.
They kiss.
They smile.
They snuggle.
They laugh.
They cry.
They are sad when you leave.
And happy when you arrive.
But we?
We know HOW to hug, but we don't
We know HOW to kiss, but we hesitate
We know HOW to smile, but we stop
We know HOW to snuggle, but we resist
We laugh, we cry, we are sad, we are happy - and yet we feel heavy.
Because we have learnt how to stop ourselves from expressing.
We know HOW to hug, but we don't
We know HOW to kiss, but we hesitate
We know HOW to smile, but we stop
We know HOW to snuggle, but we resist
We laugh, we cry, we are sad, we are happy - and yet we feel heavy.
Because we have learnt how to stop ourselves from expressing.
Lesson 8:
Kids form habits
Kids don't set goals.
They have no place to be.
They have no targets to achieve.
They are simply an outcome of the things they do everyday, or we tell them to do everyday!
From brushing, to reading, to watching TV, to playing.
They follow habits!
Kids form habits
Kids don't set goals.
They have no place to be.
They have no targets to achieve.
They are simply an outcome of the things they do everyday, or we tell them to do everyday!
From brushing, to reading, to watching TV, to playing.
They follow habits!
And then we grow up to form goals and targets.
The more short term they are, the better we feel hitting them.
So we start to give up on habits.
Habits are too hard to build.
Targets are easier to achieve.
And once achieved, move to the next one.
We live one goal to the other.
The more short term they are, the better we feel hitting them.
So we start to give up on habits.
Habits are too hard to build.
Targets are easier to achieve.
And once achieved, move to the next one.
We live one goal to the other.
Lesson 10:
Kids immerse themselves in play.
They do not have a sense of time.
They don't care about food, or sleep.
They are not distracted.
They are playing.
Intently playing!
Kids immerse themselves in play.
They do not have a sense of time.
They don't care about food, or sleep.
They are not distracted.
They are playing.
Intently playing!
And then we come and destroy that immersion.
"Lunch is ready."
"Go get ready."
"Brush your teeth."
"Do your homework."
"Come here."
We snatch away the only thing that matters.
The ability to focus.
And then we wonder, why we can't focus on anything we have to do!
"Lunch is ready."
"Go get ready."
"Brush your teeth."
"Do your homework."
"Come here."
We snatch away the only thing that matters.
The ability to focus.
And then we wonder, why we can't focus on anything we have to do!
Our son is 10 and our daughter is 4.
Watching them grow has made me realize how much of what they do in their life, I would want to do.
And if I were to be even a bit of who they are, I would do a lot more, feel a lot more and feel at peace a lot more.
Watching them grow has made me realize how much of what they do in their life, I would want to do.
And if I were to be even a bit of who they are, I would do a lot more, feel a lot more and feel at peace a lot more.
I often wonder, what happens to us, as we grow into adults.
How is it that we give up on the most precious things one needs for life, and instead sign up for the shitty adulthood that we live everyday!
How is it that we give up on the most precious things one needs for life, and instead sign up for the shitty adulthood that we live everyday!
I don't know the answer.
All I know, is that we have a lot to learn from kids.
And if I can find the kid in me and bring him back, that will be the best gift I can gift myself.
All I know, is that we have a lot to learn from kids.
And if I can find the kid in me and bring him back, that will be the best gift I can gift myself.
Another thread on kids, I wrote last year :)
https://twitter.com/warikoo/status/1273888985283203072?s=20
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