Life Lessons We Should Learn from Our Toddlers

As exhausting as they can be, there is a lot we can learn from the behavior of our toddlers.  Two year olds don’t over-analyze or over-rationalize… they simply “do”. Obviously, a world full of adults who run around acting 100% like toddlers would not be functional (although one could argue there are definitely toddler-adults out there). I do feel like we often make life and emotions more complicated than it needs to be as we grow older though, so here are my life lessons we should try to learn from our toddlers.

1. Say No. Why is it that as we get older we become “yes” people?  Yes, I will come to your party even though I am so overwhelmed with everything that is already on my to-do list for this month.  Yes, I will bake something from scratch for the school bake sale.  Yes, I will buy yet another box of cookies from yet another co-worker’s child, even though I have already purchased enough cookies to get me through a zombie apocalypse.  Are we afraid of being rude?  Did we simply forget how to say “No”.  Life is short… make the choices you want to make and learn to make more use of your toddler’s favorite word.
2. Cry. It doesn’t have to be a toddler style no holds barred public meltdown (but no judgement if it is). Sometimes life gets stressful, overwhelming or just plain sad.  Let it out.  Emotions are good for you when you let yourself experience them for what they are in the moment.
3. Laugh. I don’t know about you, but I love hearing my kids giggle that true giggle when they think something is really funny.  The other day, I tripped over the dog and fell down at which point the dog pounced on me and started licking my face and wouldn’t let me up.  My kids thought this was hysterical.  I mean belly laughing, tears from their eyes hysterical.  They also think its really funny when I pretend to talk to them in an alien language or when they fart.  I like to think that my humor is a little more sophisticated than theirs, but seriously… when stuff is funny, laugh.
4. Play. What do you enjoy doing?  This answer will be different if you are thinking about a solo activity, versus date night, versus family time, but whatever it is should be FUN!  Play needs to have a place in your life.  A true and genuine place.
5. Forgive. Let’s go back to number two for a minute and then extend the healthy piece of letting yourself feel emotions to the equally important part of then moving on from them.  Anger, guilt, sadness, they are inevitable, but then we need to move on.  Have you ever witnessed a toddler argument?  They can scream, grab, cry (and yes, even hit) and then a few minutes later, they are best buddies again sharing their sippy cups (and germs) with one another.  Forgiveness is probably too complex a term for this age, but there is still a lesson from watching these relationships.
6. Dance. Are you happy or excited?  Do you just like the music being played?  Toddlers will shake their little diapered booties with very little encouragement.  It’s such an honest expression of life and emotion.  There is joy in that.  Why do we forget that as we get older?  Who cares who is watching you or what they think? Unless it’s your toddler and I guarantee they will think the fact that you are dancing is pretty great and they will probably even join you.