Sitting still for an hour when you are six is nearly impossible. But you’ve got to remember, one hour in children’s time is like a whole year for the average person.
It’s basically impossible not to fidget, wiggle or develop violent headshaking syndrome. Let’s face it, kids have a lot of energy, and they are not afraid to show it.
As adults, we are often happy to have those few minutes to just sit still and do nothing. But for kids, it’s torture.
I’ve often heard people say, “Man, I wish I had their energy.” So that got me thinking, where does this energy come from?
Your kids wake up excited, full of joy and ready to go. So why do we feel like we have to have a mocha latte with a double shot of espresso just to keep up?
Because we don’t follow the same rules we set for our kids. We make them eat, sleep and play at specific set times, in ample amounts, every day. This is the perfect recipe for energy.
What’s funny is we spend a lot of our time and energy trying to think up creative ideas to entertain our children. But of all the people in the world, they are absolutely the easiest to keep occupied. It’s us who need the entertainment. We need the soccer game to cheer at, the outing to the park or pool, or the play date with other parents.
Children delight in the simplicities of life.
Give them a ball, a kitchen gadget, or a tub of Play-Doh and they are off and running. They are on top of the world.
If it were only so easy to keep me amused.
This week, we had a day off from school, so I asked my oldest son what he wanted to do for the day. I imagined he might say he wanted to go to the park, go swimming, or eat junk food. But instead, he said, “I want to wear my pajamas all day long.”
I laughed, but I suppose, that would be a luxury for a fresh Kindergartner. Simple enough. Done and done.
I’ve realized it’s me who always feels the need to be on the go. Children don’t expect a lot from you, they just want your attention and time to play.
With adults, it’s all about scheduling. There is always somewhere to be by a certain time, each and every day.
Perhaps we would all have more energy if we applied our own rules to ourselves. Eat when you are hungry, run when you want to and always make time to sleep.
This week, my kids reminded me how important it is to kick back when you can and enjoy the simple things in life. Every now and then, it’s good to take time, unwind, and wear your pajamas all day long.
