It seems like the world is in a hurry to make children grow up. And many parents seem to be pushing their kids to be and act older. But can we just stop trying to make kids grow up so fast. Can they just be kids. My mother told me; I didn’t talk until I was 5. I can’t really remember back that far. But in my older years, I remember I was very quiet and shy.
Mud Pies + Fun Times
My great grandmother had the best flower bed. It was bare in the center and it had two sprawling green bushes that stood on each side.
It was the perfect place to make a mud pie! The neighborhood kids would come and play for hours. Which is funny thinking about it. Because I hated having dirty fingernails! I still do. But it was a fun way to be creative. Plus, it didn’t cost a dime. Just time and having an imagination.
For some reason, I gravitated towards younger children than me. I learned older children or children the same age as me were more opinionated. Or were just plain mean. Younger children never judged. Just older children or adults did. “She’s too old to be playing in the mud”, they said. It made me feel sad hearing that. I was 10 years old and I still loved playing with dolls and every Christmas looked forward to the newest toys.
I guess you can say, I was what’s called a late bloomer.
The Joy of Receiving As No Age Limit
No one should put an age limit on when a child should stop playing. Or when they are not allowed to enjoy certain traditions.
My daughters’ grandmother was planning on getting her granddaughters’ Easter baskets. And she called to ask that famous question. “Are they too old for Easter baskets?”
I replied, “What age do you have to be, to turn down chocolate?”
I don’t know a single adult that would turn down an Easter basket if it had a bottle of wine and Ghirardelli in it.
Plus, even as children age. They love tradition. My dad gave me See’s candy every Valentine’s Day and Christmas, until I was about 30. I know adults that are almost 50 years old and look forward to getting special traditions. That was handed down from the time they were born.
It’s already hard enough when kids get a certain age. They learn they are too big for the apparatus. And the other children are now half their size. In this moment you look into their sad little innocent eyes and you know they wish they were smaller. So, they can swing on the monkey bars once again.
A Love of Reading
It’s sad kids are pressured to read books that are considered more an age-appropriate level. I continued to enjoy picture books as an older child. Then one day I was ready to make a leap. On my own time. My imagination was able to illustrate everything that I was reading!! Now it is forever ingrained in me. Do we really need to rush kids through books to make them grow up faster?
Let Them Be Little
I say let kids make mud pies. They will grow up to become great gardeners.
Let children read children books. They will become great storytellers.
Allow them to enjoy those special traditions. They may pass them on to their children one day. Plus, we know that parents always indulge in their children’s Halloween candy. Because of course it would be too creepy if adults went and knocked on stranger’s doors. Said no solicitor ever!!
The irony of being an adult is that many of us still wish we were a kid. Let them take all the time they need. Because once it’s gone. It’s gone. Yes, let’s stop trying to make kids grow up too fast.
