Embrace your senses. - Step into the child’s mindset together. Give yourself permission to go back and remember what it was like to be a kid. What was it like to taste, touch, smell, hear or see something for the very first time? Take a step back and allow yourself to relive those memories all over again. Then, share your experiences to reinvigorate that child within. You may notice that you’re able to better relate to that younger reflection sitting in front of you and they may be more willing to open up to you.
Observe with wonderment. – It’s not a small world after all. Take moments of pause to observe and appreciate everything that is going on around you. Kids do it all the time, so pay attention. A child’s imagination and creativity can often be a resource of great inspiration. Be open and listen to what they have to say if you expect them to listen to you. Connect to their fearless, sometimes rebellious nature! Then watch as any limitations (often placed on ourselves) become endless possibilities. Be willing to live in those possibilities together and prepare to be a little rebel yourself.
Get curious. – Robert Schuller asks us, “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” Well, now that you’re embracing that child mindset and you’ve seen just how big the world is around you; it’s time to get curious about that next adventure. Children develop a natural curiosity for pretty much everything early on in life. They watch your every move, no matter what age, and they will often try things for themselves, constantly test their limits (and your patience). Take a breath and get curious with them. When you seek to understand one another, you create a better relationship and stronger bond that you can all trust.
Be willing to play. – What did you want to be when you grew up? Have you figured it out yet? You may have heard this question many times as a kid. As an adult, you may still hear it. The truth is there has never been just one answer or one path. The beauty of life is that it’s a big sandbox with lots of room to play. Invite your children to be a part of your adventure and be willing to be a part of theirs. Challenge each other, have fun together, learn from one another, appreciate each other and never lose that passion for life. Remember what George Shaw said, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.”
At the end of the day, our time together is limited. Make it count. Open the lines of communication between that child within and the child in front of you. You need them as much as they need you. Discover the reflection of yourselves through the eyes of one another. Let that reflection be the one that follows for generations to come.