I went for a run the other day in the streets of South Tampa, the most beautiful neighborhood I had seen in a while since I am usually surrounded by nature. The houses looked straight out of a Hemingway novel. You could smell the salty ocean in the air. And everyone that passed by offered a gracious good morning. It was just picture perfect. I got lost in thought just enjoying my surroundings. Then, in the distance, something I considered unusual caught my eye.
When I was a child, the saying “children should be seen and not heard” was commonly used to describe how children ought to behave. It was as though people were expected to mold their children into little superhumans devoid of feelings or emotions of any sort. This concept, while sounding extreme, sums up society quite well.
Parents are often tired and overwhelmed and this feeling often leads to the “No! Don’t get dirty response!”. Yes, spending those extra 30 minutes cleaning up an unnecessary mess can seem like an enormous and unwanted task that we will do anything in our power to avoid. Totally understandable! But once in a while, let them get dirty! Let them make a mess!
Children are naturally curious and have a craving to learn things they see. Simple tasks that we do around the house becomes a source of intrigue and often children end up playing “house” sort of speak. But why not use this curiosity to teach them from a young age how to do daily activities that will assist them as grown-ups? Many young adults head off to college not knowing how to do their own laundry, make their bed or keep track of their finances. These are all activities that are common in the house hold. Yet, parents are usually so busy making it work that they prefer to do these activities themselves instead of soliciting the child’s help. But this is actually great and organic opportunities for children to learn various subjects that relate to daily living.
One of the most common complains of adults working with younger generations is the lack of common sense. This is something that we take for granted until we come across or have to work with someone that lacks it. And yet is imperative to human survival. Having common sense makes life easier and makes you a better rounded more functional adult. It’s also an important tool to excel in for any endeavor.