NO KIDDING, THIS!

                           

This blog is written by a guest blogger who is Principal of Gandhinagar
 Podar International School Ms. Madhumita.

Angela Schwindt couldn’t be more explicit when she opined, “While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.” I have been fortunate to have spent most of my professional life working among kids and the best part of my learnings are what kids have taught me. Let me share here three very golden rules kids have given to me to follow as an adult:

1.    Happiness has no reason!

HAPPINESS spelt with capital letters! It is their default system. Kids are naturally happy beings and they do not require big justification for their happiness. If they cry or exhibit crankiness one can trace it back to either a physical discomfort or as their ploy to seek proper attention which often remains elusive from the adult world. Children invariably choose to remain unaffected by depressing things or grumpy people around them. In fact they like jolly people as easily as fish takes to water. When children are around us happiness free flows because they are genuine brand ambassadors of it.

2.    Only unconditional Love!

Kids love uninhibitedly without any conditional tags attached.  They have amazing capacity to forget and forgive. They don’t analyse, weigh upon or scrutinise the emotion of love. If they feel it they express it spontaneously. If a child has difficulty in expressing love, we better check what or who is stopping the child from doing so.

Human beings to toys, pets to cartoon characters- all receive abundance of love from kids. No bitter past accounts are held in their heart. They keep their dealings simple and beautiful.  In relationships, children deal only in one currency, i.e. unconditional love.  

3.    Don’t give up spirit!

If you stop a three year old from scribbling on walls, within moments the little genius launches another business. May be, this time it is dragging an oversized carton from corner to corner. You stop that too and next immediate target of attention could be your mobile phone left on table unguarded. Kids are born busy bees! Display of kinaesthetic energy is a sign of robust health in a child, both physical and emotional.

 Children do not buy discouragement very easily. If one occupation is taken away from them they instantly find another one and still another one.  Indomitable resolve!  Every child has it.

I learn my lessons in happiness, unconditional love and resilience from kids every day.  Their company is both therapeutic and enlightening.

When as parents, family members, teachers and care givers we deal with children we must understand our job is to preserve these three wonderful qualities in a child as much as possible while they are growing up. Let us help them: to continue practising happiness without harming or hurting others; to Show kindness and consideration to express their love; and remain unfazed at the face of any discouragement, rejection or defeat in life.

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