Top 5 Things That We’ve Learned From Preschoolers

Sometimes young children do things that we’ve forgotten how to do–like to play.

When we look at what kids do, and really take on their perspective, the courage of children is often staggering.

Their wisdom can bring me to tears.

And their delight at life, trust of others and willingness to forgive, humbles me.

At times, what children do looks so “young” and yet if I look below the surface I often find the actions of kids profound. Kids act with an integrity and consciousness that us adults can only begin to understand.

We are wrapping up another school year here. We’ve been looking at old photos and reflecting on what we’ve learned, what our students have learned, how we have grown and loved each other.

We’ve even had some feelings of gratitude for many of the bumps and bruises along the way, and the learning our mistakes provided us.

Here are the 5 top things that the kids at the school have taught us this year:

Ask for help. Unlike adults and even older children, young kids have no shame or judgment about asking for help. It’s okay for them to get assistance to solve a problem, open a food wrapper, or climb up high. Us adults sometimes don’t like to say, “I’ve never done this before” or “I’m confused” or “Oops, I made a mistake”. Of course, children still get disappointed and frustrated with their abilities. But young kids don’t beat themselves up, like us adults do, because they’re not living up to the unattainably high standards that they’ve set for themselves. Instead young kids ask for help, they accept help and they get on with their day.

Tell someone if they are doing something that you don’t like. How many times have you heard a child say, “Stop” or “No” or “You’re being mean”? Lots of times. Most children have much more courage in telling someone if they don’t like what another is doing. How many times have I not told someone something that their words bothered me? How many times have I let my discontent silently fester and grow stagnant and smelly? Lots. This is a lesson kids teach me over and over again, that I have yet to fully learn—to speak up if I don’t like something.

Celebrate each other’s successes and your own. In the beginning of this year a boy in our class was struggling to get down from the loft on the ladder. Another girl in our class came over to help and encourage. After he got down off the last rung, she cheered for him. Hands up in the air! Happy! Let’s cheer for each other and for ourselves more!

Play seriously. Did you know that Japan has the highest rates of unhappiness of any industrialized nation? In Japan, there is a public health problem with people dying prematurely from work-related stress. There is even a word in Japanese that means “to work yourself to death”. Adults know how to work hard. By contrast, kids play hard. What can you do by yourself (or with your kids) to play hard? Give yourself permission to play. It’ll help you be more productive too.

Be present. Kids are masters at living in the moment. Sure, they worry a little about the past or what the future might bring, but kids are so much more skilled at embracing the present than us adults. So many times children will ask me something, and I can’t respond because I really wasn’t listening (less at school, more at home). The thoughts in my head are so loud! When we are “in our heads” we aren’t really “with” our kids. We aren’t present. Make your presence with your children be a present for them.

What have your kids taught you this year? Let us know in the comments section. We love hearing from you.

Happy end of school year!

To your greatness,

Cecilia and Jason

photo credit: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources via photopin cc