As I've grown up I have quickly learned how much I miss being a child. Life was much simpler then. Each day was a new adventure and I could hardly sleep at night because of the excitement the next day would bring. There are so many things that made my childhood special to me. I would do anything to go back in time and cherish the time I had to be a kid. I always wanted to grow up fast; sit with the adults, stay up late, drive, eat whatever I want, you know the common reasons kids want to grow up. I wish I didn’t spend so much of my childhood wishing it away.

1. Spending my summer afternoons in my backyard

We would play for hours! Running through the sprinkler, making up dances as we went. We had this cool purple octopus sprinkler that shot water out of its tentacles in all directions, we would lift the tentacles and squirt them at each other. We would make up games, play wiffle ball, throw around a frisbee, build a fort, anything to keep us busy.

2. Playing with the slip n’ slide

We had a racing slip n’ slide. We would get a running start then zip down the line splashing water everywhere.

3. Ghost in the graveyard and flashlight tag

Our neighborhood would grab a flashlight and head out as soon as the sun set. The game was quick and many screams and laughs were shared.

4. Rummaging through the dress up bin for the plastic heels that clicked when you walked

Dress-up was my favorite game growing up. I would even dress my brother up. We also played the board game "Pretty Pretty Princess" to get into character.

5. The smell of new carpet

I don’t know if this is weird, but my family used to visit a lot of home stores and model homes. I would always lie on the rugs because I was bored and I was maybe four. I still remember the smell of brand new rug; it is a scent that is indescribable but as soon as you smell it you just know.

6. “Long” car rides

I loved being in the car as a kid. Back then car rides seemed like they were hours long. I was driving to my cousins house the other day and I was thinking, “oh boy this is going to be a long one, I might as well take a nap”, nope! This was only a twenty-minute car ride! My whole life I had assumed it was longer, all the while it took less than a half hour to arrive at the destination.

7. Wiggling my teeth in hopes one might fall out

What child doesn’t love the tooth fairy? You lose a tooth and then you get paid for it. Good deal! I would usually leave my teeth hanging onto the last thread of gum before wiggling it out, but I had fun creeping people out with how far it would wiggle without falling out.

8. Running through the grass barefoot

In the summer the bottoms of my feet would be black every night when I would come in. I had to scrub them in the bath tub most nights so I wouldn’t track dirt through our house.

9. Listening to my parents read to me

I loved listening to my dad read the Harry Potterbooks to me and my brother. We would curl up in my parent’s bed and read a chapter each night. Sometimes we wouldn’t finish a chapter, those were the times my brother or I had fallen asleep.

10. Catching fireflies

I would run around for hours collecting the blinking bugs. You catch them in your hands and glance in at the glow every once in a while to check on them.

11. Having popsicle sticky fingers

Ice-cream is my favorite food. In the summer we ate ice-cream all the time! Sometimes we would make our own popsicles too!

12. Laying in the grass and not worrying about the bugs I felt crawling on me

13. My childhood

Don’t wish to be older, your time will come to grow up. Savor every moment of the freedom childhood gives you.

Everyone had a different childhood. I'm very lucky to have been raised in an environment that let me grow at the pace I needed to. My childhood was very special to me as I'm sure yours is to you. Cherish every moment of your life. Never wish your time away.