As an early childhood education major, it’s pretty easy to guess that I love being around kids, and I love teaching and helping them. However, something that a lot of people don’t realize is that there are a lot of important things that you can learn from kids, not just that we have to teach to them. I’ve been working with kids in summer camps and classrooms for a few years now, and there are lots of things that I’ve realized from them. They say random things, and they do random things that shock you, and they always manage to keep you on your toes. They can be pretty silly, but every once in a while, I find myself learning important things from them.
1.) Creativity is endless.
Kids have this amazing ability to turn any object or photograph into an amazing story that, given the time, can go on for hours. Their imaginations are boundless, and this shows in the stories they create, the games they invent, and the artwork they make. Even if an image looks like nothing but a mess of colors, children will tell you exactly what it represents and may even be able to convince you to see it in the image. When you have that kind of imagination and creativity, boredom is virtually impossible.
2.) Everything is exciting.
Something as small as a slight schedule change can be amazing to kids. Simply doing something a little differently can make their whole day. They also love little things that wouldn’t normally excite us, like learning a new game or answering a question correctly in class. No matter what you talk to a child about, something they’re excited about will surely become a part of the conversation.
3.) Take time to stop and smell the roses.
Have you ever noticed how when you’re in a hurry to do something, the kids you’re with are always taking their sweet time? If they see a cool bug on the ground, they immediately drop down to look at it, and they’ll be there for a good ten minutes if they’re allowed. It’s important to appreciate the little things in life, no matter how small.
4.) There’s no need for the dramatic.
This may make no sense to some people, because we all know that children love to be dramatic and throw tantrums when they’re upset. In fact, this lesson stems from a child I know that threw a fit at summer camp. We were playing dodgeball, and he got hit, and started crying because he wanted to go home. People were trying to console him all over the place, and eventually gave up because he wouldn’t calm down. In the end, I walked over to him and told him that we were going to eat marshmallows later, and that was all it took. He calmed instantly and accepted that he was going to be alright, because he was going to have a treat later. In general, when it comes to kids, it’s better to act calm even in the worst situations, because kids are very tuned into your emotions. If you freak out, they’ll freak out. If you stay calm, they stay calm. Over all, keeping away from dramatic actions helps kids do the same thing.
Lots of people know that kids learn from teachers, and that kids have to be taught everything they know. But in reality, children instinctively know a lot of the things that make life better, and it’s important to keep an open mind while you’re around them. You never know what lessons they might teach you!
HCXO, Lola
*All images courtesy of Pinterest and Google