What Kids Can Teach You about Being an Adult
College puts you in this weird place where you don’t feel entirely like an adult, but at the same time you’re certainly not a kid anymore. You’re living on your own with all this freedom that you may have never experienced before. But sometimes I’m reminded of how little I know about being an adult, and I dream of those days when my only responsibility was to just be a kid. It’s like we’re adults-in-training.
Sure, there’s a lot of important stuff that comes with being an adult – remember to pay the bills, always do your laundry and dishes, learn to cook something besides ramen, manage your money… And those are the things that most people probably think about they consider what it means to be grown up. While it’s exciting to move into this new and independent place, I’m finding that it helps to not get too carried away and to remember the little guys, aka kids.
I work in the Imagination and Cognition lab in the Children’s Research Lab in the psychology department here at UT. I spend my days interviewing kids about their imaginary friends, asking them if they think purple cows are real, telling stories, and laughing. Being around kids reminds you of what’s important, and when I get caught up with the stress of adult life, I take a break and start thinking more like a kid.
Kids love anything that’s new. A new game, a new place, a new toy, a new friend – they have this amazing openness to new experiences. This is something that you can definitely replicate as an adult, too! Granted, it may not be as easy as getting a new Lego set or going to a new park, but the idea of trying new things is an easy way to feel like a kid again. Try out a new recipe, get coffee with someone new from one of your classes, take up a new hobby, or even just change up the route you take on your walk to class.
Kids play. Not only is that how they have fun, but it’s how they learn. In fact, it’s important to their development. They learn about social relationships, they explore the world, they practice creativity, and the fun is just a bonus. Again, sitting down with some blocks may not work as well with adults, but the idea still applies! Making time for fun isn’t just preferable, it’s crucial. Maybe that looks like watching a movie with friends or going for a hike. Whatever you think is fun, make time for that.
Kids are helpful and kind, and that’s probably my favorite thing about them. They have an innocence about them that drives them to be supportive and loving towards others. If there’s anything we can learn from kids, this is the most important. Being kind to someone else is so simple yet it can make a lasting difference. It can be something as involved as volunteering or something as easy as smiling at a stranger. Kids are so loving, and remembering that and applying that to your adult life will make everything a little more joyful.
Of course, pay your rent on time, fold your laundry, and go grocery shopping. Whether we like it or not, this adult thing is happening. But if you can hold onto the kid in you – savoring the new, having fun, laughing and loving – life will be so much sunnier.