Summer Inspiration: Childhood

 Why do we have to grow up?

As you probably already know, this summer my goal is to remember what it is like to be a kid. It’s also important to me that our girls have the summer to just be kids. No scheduled camps or classes. I’ve also been thinking about how I miss being a kid because I could let my imagination run wild or run around in the forest for hours making discoveries without care.

It’s a little sad when I think about what is lost when we grow up. Which is silly because I have two little children who I can act like a kid with everyday..but I don’t take advantage of it like should. This summer I will.

When I think of childhood I think of playing with cousins without parents hovering and running barefoot in the grass. I think of comfy play clothing and the sick feeling you get from swallowing too much chlorinated water after hours of swimming with family in grandpa’s pool. I think of building forts out of rotted out redwood stumps and romping around the forest discovering secret places. I remember the smell of wet redwood, the iridescent trail of banana slugs and the feeling of wet ferns soaking my clothing as we blazed trails. I think of secret clubs and weird concoctions made of grass and cat food. I think of books and the alluring smell of thousands of them in the one room while performing ‘research’.

I had no cares. I was free of responsibility and only driven by my imagination, creativity and curiosity. Now, looking back, I realize that childhood is the closest thing I have experienced to magic.

I marvel at this precious opportunity I have been given to raise two beautiful girls and have a front row seat to the magic once again. I challenge myself to let them be kids. Play is their work and my work is to let them play. So I’ll let them wander off sometimes or put something in their mouths and taste it. I’ll answer their curious questions, listen to their made up stories and join them in secret quests.

I want magic to saturate our home, for my sake. I wonder how much personal growth I would have if I reverted back to my childhood daydreams? I firmly believe that most of humanity’s brilliance can be found within the context of childhood. I think it’s most unfair that we grow up and leave behind the most brilliant part of ourselves.

9 childhood traits grown ups could learn again from kids…

1) To approach everything with a sense of wonder– be a blank slate– with no preconceived notions or assumptions. From this vantage point kids see the world clearer than any of us!

2) Take constant risks without fear or baggage. It’s the most honest way to grow.

3) No matter what your daily work, who wouldn’t love to be considered a creative genius?  Children are remarkably creative because they engage their imagination fully with no end goals or mental static running in the background. They don’t have a very long to-do list waiting to be attended to while they play. Life is simpler.

4) They feel with their whole being. Their world is much brighter and real than ours.

5) They believe they can accomplish their dreams without any self-doubt. Ask any kid what they want to be ‘one day’, and regardless of what it is, they honestly believe that they can realize their dream. They dream big and unashamed.

6) They are wonderfully gullible and accepting of new information. Pride does not interfere with opportunities to learn. Curiosity and openness always wins out.

7) Children are approachable without prejudice or judgement. In other words, they are friendly and make friends instantly without any other purpose than companionship.

8) They are genuine, sincere, hopeful and idealistic. Kids are a no sarcasm zone. Don’t get me wrong, I love sarcasm…it’s funny. But at the same time I hate it because it often breeds jaded-ness a particularly ugly and sad grown-up trait.

9) Kids are experts at prioritizing what is really important. They don’t let little frivolous details get in the way of whats really important, for example to 1. Play 2. Eat or “Hot Milk” in Lime’s case. 3. Snuggles.

So anyways, I’m going to try my darndest to take my kids brilliance seriously this summer. They need to whip this grown up into shape!

Hope you found some summer inspiration here for brainstorming a magical summer with your kids. Please comment with anything you would add to the list or share what your plans are for the summer!