Working at a preschool is in my opinion, one of the best jobs that a person can have. Although you don’t make all the money in the world, you get to receive smiles from children every single day and learn so many life lessons. Even though these children are under the age of five they seem to know things that adults in today’s society have forgotten. So many people look back on their life as a child and try to return to who they used to be. There is so much to learn from those little people around you as well as from your own younger self to bring more into your life today. Here are what I feel are ten life lessons that you can learn from a preschooler.
1. Laugh every day.
I am around children for hours every single day and there has never been a day where a child isn't laughing. They laugh at the most random things too. They seem to find the joy in absolutely everything. It is so eye opening to watch the humor that children can find in a book or at a park. They really see silliness everywhere.
2. Every day is a fresh start.
I know that when I was younger and my parents came to pick me up from school that the day always felt so finished and final. The school years seemed so much longer and as each year passed they continued to feel so much shorter. When you are young every day feels like an eternity and every day is different. It is a chance to try out new things and make new friends. Children start every day fresh and don’t dwell on things that happened the day before like people seem to do as they get older.
3. Creativity is amazing!
Something that so many people grow out of is their passion for creativity. When children are young they lose themselves in a project or dramatic play where they are simply using their imagination and creativity. When we get older, many of us move on from that and don’t see creative activities as something worth our time.
4. Be Active!
Children seem to be some of the most active people in the world. They are constantly playing outside. I know at my preschool the children’s favorite time of the day is when they get to go outside and play on the back playground. They don’t even realize that they are exercising but that changes so much as they grow up. People become lazier and something that used to be seen as “playing” is now a chore that people feel like they need to do in order to stay in shape.
5. Try new things.
Children try new things every single day. For some reason as people grow up, they lose that and focus more on the things in which they already know. It is almost impossible for some people to step outside of their comfort zone and try something new whether it be a new sport or simply trying a new food. Adults seem to fear the unknown while children are right there jumping into it.
6. Notice the little things.
Children notice the weirdest things! Some of the children will notice when I am wearing something new or when I get a haircut. They also love and are amused by the simplest things. It could be a garbage truck picking up the garbage outside, which the children absolutely love. As we grow up we get annoyed by the little things and they almost seem to disappear completely. Children find the greatness in the little things in which we as adults fail to notice. Just imagine how much beautiful life would be if we could see these amazing things again?
7. To see everybody as being special.
Children just have that sparkle in their eyes as they look around and play with all of the children in their class. They really seem to see everybody through their innocent and beautiful eyes as something special and unique. There are no judgments when you are younger which surely does change as they grow up. Just think about how different society would be if we still thought like this. I think it would be incredible.
8. To love unconditionally.
When I walk into the classroom I am instantly greeted with hugs on hugs and it is one of the greatest feelings. Children can teach us real and unconditional love. They show us how to learn to give without expecting anything in return.
9. To always speak your truth.
The one thing that annoys me more than anything is the constant tattles that I have to deal with while at work. However, with these tattles from the little children there is definitely a life lesson to be learned. Most of the time these children are being honest and it just shows how you should always speak the truth just like the little ones do. They have no fear like we do to speak their mind and to say what they feel and believe in.
10. To dream big.
You know how when you were little you dreamed about being the craziest things in life? I know I dreamt about being a princess or being the president. I had so many unrealistic goals for myself and children still continue to do that today. One of the great joys of being a teacher is being able to hear these crazy goals and help them believe that they truly can achieve them. Children believe in themselves so much and it is so amazing how they will put all they have into pretending to be something. Their passion for these things is incredible. Just think about if we all had as much passion as they do in our everyday lives. Just think about how different it would be.
