Whether you babysit, nanny, or work for the Kids Klub at your local gym, working with kids seems to be a popular job for young adults in college. But if changing diapers for pocket change has taught me anything-besides to never shower before work (you will get spit up on you) and to always pack Advil, lots of Advil- they’ve taught me how to live a better life:
1. You CAN be friends with everyone.
Or at least get along with everyone. Kids will play with anyone or anything that will give them the time of PBS kids.
2. And they don’t need alcohol to have fun.
Kids are like little drunk people, they do and say the funniest things. And once again, just like an adult at the bar on Friday night, they become friends with EVERYONE.
3. The simple things in life, are the best things.
Like bubbles. Everyone loves bubbles.
4. Life's too short to have troubles.
It could just be their attention spans, but boy, if we could all forget our troubles like kids do, we wouldn’t have any.
5. Just smile… at EVERYONE.
Some of the first things children learn to do are smile and laugh. So they smile and laugh… a lot… to everyone. And it’s impossible to not smile at a child (unless you’re a robot or heartless or something) when they smile at you. So next time you see a stranger on the street. Smile and say hi. It could make their day.
6. Your imagination is your most valuable attribute.
I can't tell you how many times I've played spy or zombie tag but what I can tell you is it’s a lot more fun than sitting in a group and scrolling through Instagram.
7. Honestly is the best policy.
Okay, so maybe kids are a little too honest. I don't need to know what your little brother did in his diaper; but when a child gives you a compliment, you know it's genuine.
8. Never stop asking questions.
In the younger years of life everything is new and everything is exciting. Children are always asking "what" and "why" shamelessly, but this shame seems to overcome us as adults. But it shouldn't. There's always going to be something we don't know or something we haven't seen before and that's what makes life interesting.
9. Innocence is bliss.
Having a childlike innocence is a blessing; it’s a distraction from the cruel world we live in. We should all just take a minute to stop worrying about the world and play a game of zombie tag.
10. It’s FREE birth control (and college students love free).
Yes. I know this might sound bad, but it’s true. There’s no better thing to keep you in school, than working with kids while you’re still in school. Sure they’re cute, but they’re cuter when you can give them back to their parents.
So thank your little brother, sister, or next door neighbor that you babysit. They’re teaching you more than you think.
