Growing up comes with a lot of challenges and stress, I have to say. I was just thinking about my childhood and growing up and I concluded as an adult, life is hard. When I was a child,

I didn’t have to worry about anything. I didn’t know if things were difficult for my parents or going smooth. All I knew then was I was happy and food was there for me lol. Now I’m older, I think about things, at least for now what to do with my life now I’m done with school and waiting for my internship. I’ve thought about a lot of things. Although I’m working currently, I just want more, I want to learn new things (I’ve made a whole list), do new things, explore and be free but there are limitations to these things especially finances.

“Children are happy because they don’t have this file in their head called ‘all the things that could go wrong’…”

Marianne Williamson

Anytime I see a child, what comes to my mind is better enjoy it while it lasts because as you grow, you will be thinking about a lot of things like school, friends, how you look, if you are good enough, why certain things happen to you or why you are different from everyone and cannot seem to be “normal” and so on.

Have you seen the way a baby, an infant or a kid behaves? No wonder Jesus said that to enter into the kingdom of God, you have to be like them. Their life is so simple, it’s almost like they don’t stress. A house can be on fire and while everyone is running helter-skelter, a baby might just be smiling or seem unconcerned. Have you seen them try to get close to danger? e.g. touching a naked wire, they never think they will be hurt. That’s the innocence they have.

“I miss being a kid, my only responsibilities were running around and laughing a lot…”

Unknown

Speak about relationships. An infant usually cannot get mad at you, at friends and especially his/her parents no matter how the parents beat or scold them. They do not have this ego thing that adults have and they can easily apologize to their friends. They embrace life with trust, love and innocence.  Children trust easily, that’s why you can throw a baby up, and they trust you will catch them.

Related: Everyone tells a story differently

They easily love too. They don’t discriminate. An adult can see someone who is not their “class” and refuse to associate with such a person but a child does not really care. They don’t even know what class is. Put them in the midst of other kids of different background and they just play except the child is naturally reserved which happens.

“The innocence of children is their wisdom, the simplicity of children is their egolessness.”

Rajneesh

Has a kid ever spoken to you? Gosh! They ask questions and are so curious. They can be honest to a fault too. Kids are not afraid to say anything the way it is. If an adult is that honest, you hear things like, he’s so rude, she’s too blunt and so on hence people have to mask how they talk and consider other’s feelings as they talk. They have to present what they want to say in a nice “offense-less” manner. A kid is allowed to be free to do anything with the excuse of “he’s just a kid, she’s just a kid”. No wonder they don’t think life is complicated unlike most adults that think it is. I wish that’s how adults can be too, free to be themselves, free to express themselves too.

“If we could see the world through the eyes of a child, we would see the magic in everything”

Chee Vai Tang

So what makes a kid change? When I see a thief, rapist or a murderer on TV or in movies and so on, what comes to my mind is “and this person was once an innocent child. What changed?” I have to say that we grow up to be who we are by influences around us. These can be from family, society, school, friends, etc. These kids then adopt certain lifestyles and it makes up who they are as they grow. Children are like clean slates and they take what they see or are given, that’s why they need guidance.

Side note: Have you ever watched movies where they train kids from when they are babies to be soldiers? They use the knowledge that a human being can easily adopt anything from infancy and be very good at it. Same thing with adults that learned how to play musical instruments since when they were kids.

“Children are like wet cements, whatever falls on them makes an impression”

Dr. Haim Ginott

I don’t think we should judge someone based on what it is we have seen them do (I know that’s difficult and human beings naturally judge and I’m guilty too). You don’t know what their behind the scenes were like. Because you had it better or you pulled through something easily doesn’t mean someone can easily do same. We are all different and have different strengths too. Finally to change someone in my opinion doesn’t come from you just telling someone to change. One has to decide in their heart that they would like to change, I mean make that decision for themselves and change if not no matter how you say it, that person isn’t going to change. Some habits really need divine intervention from God because they have been there since childhood, or early adulthood, and so difficult to break out of just like that.

“There’s a story behind every person, there is a reason why they are the way they are. Think about that before you judge someone”

Unknown

One more thing before I wrap this up, do you see pictures on Instagram or other social media where a child is dressed like a slay queen? In my opinion, I think it doesn’t let such a child be a child. Everyone should enjoy every phase of their lives. Dressing a child as a slay queen or making her act as one makes her think about life that way. She begins to think of her appearances, if she looks good enough, etc. and these can make one miss out of their childhood. I’m sure those dressing them up these way truly have good intentions.

Meanwhile, you can connect with me on facebook, twitter and instagram @theroyaldeviant Also, don’t forget to subscribe, to get more of these kind of contents right in your mail box.

Until next time, adiós amigo.

Photo from Akilah S. Richards