Maybe you're a parent or one of your siblings is. Perhaps you have a close friend that is a parent. It could be that your kids have kids or your kid's kids have kids. There is probably someway that children are in your life. The common mindset towards children is that it is the adult's job to teach them. Something that many people don't consciously acknowledge is that children are great teachers themselves. That is to say a child has the potential to teach an adult just as much if not more than an adult could teach a child. Lessons taught to a child will differ greatly from the lessons a child teaches. Adults tend to teach ideals in the logical realm while children teach the illogical. What do I mean by illogical?
Children are great teachers of faith. If you are a parent you probably have noticed how much faith your child or children have in you. They believe you are a source of infinite knowledge. Yet the really powerful thing is they have total and complete faith in your character. They believe that you are only capable of doing the right thing. Is there anyone in your life that you have that much faith in? Faith is a powerful thing and children have a great capacity to trust those they care about. Something every adult should take notice of.
Another great lesson that can be learned from a child is to be present. Children are notorious for living or as some people refer to it as living in the moment. Obviously children don't have the stress of work, bills and preconceived notions but I don't want to take away from a child's ability to be fully present. That ability allows children to experience the complete range of human emotions that a logical mind tends to suppress. They don't wait for the right moment to enjoy the world. They just enjoy it. Let's use an upcoming doctor's appointment as an example. An adult will think about the appointment, try to prepare for it and wait for it to happen. While a child will play or do whatever he/she sees fit until the actual appointment takes place. Children have a knack for focusing on only what they want to focus on which is usually what is happening now.
The last lesson to be learned from children I want to address is their creativity. Imagination is something we all associate with children and rightfully so. It is absolutely amazing to watch a child play. They are able to create a game from pretty much anything. They come up with new ideas that aren't based on how profitable it might be but on how much fun it is. Their imagination allows them to experience life in so many different ways. When was the last time you weren't so concerned about your image that you could just act like a dog and bark at your friends? Better yet, when was they last time you were even able to imagine you were a dog? Creativity spawns from losing yourself in the moment. If you are unable to be completely present you won't be able to be truly creative.
Children are teachers of so many other lessons but those three are some of the most powerful. Being an adult is great but being an adult with a child's outlook on life is absolutely wonderful. Children are the world's greatest inventors and scientists even if most people refuse to acknowledge the fact. If children were in control of the world I guarantee it'd be a better place. They may never have all the answers but they'd definitely be willing to ask to right questions.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Valuable-Lessons-Taught-By-Children&id=9237263
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