How Can You Use a Child as a Role Model?

You may wonder what you can learn from children. Children are in an intense learning phase of their lives where we as adults teach them many things. Everything is new. Yet children have something to teach adults. What can we learn from children? There are five things that if we watch children, we can see how well children do these things. Each of these is a skill. As we utilize these skills, we can become happier and more successful in our adult lives.

1. Take care or ask for care of themselves. Infants cry when they are ready to be taken care of. After they are cared for, they are happy and content. Gradually as they grow up, they learn how to take care of themselves. As adults, we often forget to take care of ourselves to be happy. Worse yet, we forget even what to do to take care of ourselves to be happy. We forget about self-care. We fail to fill our own cups first. We expect to give to others without replenishing ourselves. Look at children. Watch how they put their own care first. When wishing to be taken care of, they cry or otherwise voice their wishes. Children have their care as a priority. If we place self care first, we can be happier.

2. Live in the present. Children are right here right now. It is we adults whose minds wander into the past, reminiscing about old times. It is we adults who worry about the future and the plethora of possibilities. It is we adults who play the “what if” game. “What if”, we say and then think of scenarios with the worst outcomes. Children partake in the moment. This moment. Watch children to see an example of devoting their full attention to the present. Living in the present allows life to be easier.

3. Let go of the past. The past is over. We are unable to do anything to change it. Yet some people hang on to it so tightly that it takes up most of their attention. We can learn from the past. Then we can let it go. We as adults can have difficulty moving forward. That difficulty can result in becoming stuck. People complain of being stuck. They lose their mobility literally and figuratively. Yet children can move on. They have mobility. They can change direction in an instant! They can let go. Let go to find more joy in life.

4. Ask for what they would like. Children are skilled sales people. They ask for what they would like. They are relentless and persistent. They are clear. Being turned down often must mean increasing the intensity of the ask. We adults hear a rejection and can easily think it is the end of the world. How different from children who can take rebuff as a sign to redouble their efforts! Ask for what you desire so that you can receive it.

5. Find joy in the small things. Children can be more entranced with a box that an appliance came in then they will in their toys. Children appreciate the smallest of things whether it is an ant or a piece of paper. They can devote their full attention to what for us adults can just be overlooked or even trash. What joy can you find in the small things?

Practice these five actions every day. If you have forgotten what these look like, find a child to observe. After doing these things every day for 21 days, long enough to build a habit, notice how your life is different. Notice ways you are happier. Notice ways your life is more successful. Watch children if you are looking for a role model!