Sunday, February 26, 2012

Lessons I Learned From A Child

Our  family of 10 was on vacation and we were visiting relatives.   We were eating dinner in a room surrounded with windows, so we could see everything going on outside.  The adults were enjoying conversation and the kids were bored.  My 7 and 8 year olds announced,  "Look, that kid is playing with a nerf gun.  We are going to play with him."   And just like that the 2 boys went outside and started playing with this stranger.  Just like that.
The boy was a different color and a different culture.  The kids never noticed.  They played a long time, chasing each other and running around together.  We could see them through the windows.  When it was time to leave I called my boys .  I said, "What  is your friends name?"  They had no idea.  "How old is he?'  They had no idea.  That didn't matter.  He was another human being.  I remember thinking the kid's guardians were probably in the same room as me, and I would never dream of going over to them and making friends.  Way too taboo....too may invisible barriers...It would be odd, strange, impolite almost.  Adults could learn a lot from children.
Posted by Annmarie Pipa at 6:26 PM

74 comments:

  1. Kids really do have the right ideas.

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  2. When you want something so bad it is easy to obtain it. They wanted to play, and it didn't matter who he was! Good for you on teaching your children well.

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  3. It is amazing what we can learn from watching our children!

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  4. I'm always friendly to strangers and start conversations in public. My boyfriend says he enjoys watching my "social adventures."

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  5. Yes kids are awesome when they don't see color or race as a reason to not talk to someone. Good topic.

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  6. It is so nice to look through a kids eyes. They see the important stuff...who is fun and kind, not anything else!

    Thanks for linking up!

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  8. I'm amazed my soon to be 8 year old is the exact same way. she will come home from school and say "mom i have a new best friend, she is nice and has straight blonde hair, we had so much fun playing together." i said thats great hun, whats her name? she said "i have no idea" is she in the same grade as you? "I'm not sure, maybe so" she said

    ;-)

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  9. Amen to this girl..Hugs and smiles Gloria

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  10. Nothing like seeing the world through the eyes of a child! Great post!

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  11. Isn't that great? My grandkids are color blind, too and that is the way it should be. We are all raising a new generation, aren't we...hopefully one that will be free of all prejudice. xo Diana

    ps..if you haven't signed up for my giveaway yet please pop over to my blog and catch my BLOVE! xo Diana

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  12. sometimes the children become the teachers.
    We can learn from them too.
    I ts so nice to meet you, I followed you right back.

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  13. Kids are great, wouldn't it be nice if we could keep that innocence. - Part of this post reminded me of my husband. He'll share something about one of the men he works with and I'll ask him if he is married.."I don't know". I ask, where he lives?..Same answer..Maybe it's a guy thing too, Haha. xo

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  15. Amen!! My Brookie teaches me something every day!

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  16. This is our son no matter where we go. If there is a kid around his age he plays with them, no name, no age but at the end he is his "bestest friend" :))

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  17. I am so excited to find and follow new special places. I have no doubt I will enjoy engaging and supporting this wonderful space you have created. Thank you for sharing, your visit and following, I am so glad to meet you. I hope to see you again soon. Cheers SpecialK XoXo

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  18. So glad you found me, I'm very happy to follow you too! Little Bit from DecorateWithaLittleBit.com

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  19. You can learn so much from children.

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  20. So so true, we are often busy teaching them...but we can learn so much from our Kids :)

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  21. Don't you wish we adults possessed the wide eyed innocence of children? The world would be a kinder more loving place. Your son's attitude is a good example of that innocence. Have a wonderful week!--------
    Shannon

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  22. Great story :) I know what you mean, I'm constantly fascinated by my children's resilience and adaptability to new situations and I agree, adults could really learn a lot from kids! Thanks for you lovely comment on my blog and I am following you as well :)
    Have a great day!
    Cas x

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  23. I love your post. I believe that we could learn a lot from our children too.

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  24. I love this story!!! When Jesus tells us to be like little children, I think this is one of the things he meant!

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  25. What a great story and great reminder for adults.

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  26. Wonderful post it's amazing how children interact and make new friends without any fear.

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  27. Great little post!!

    I don't meet a stranger. I love to meet new people as well. I, however, do try to get names and numbers so that I can interact with them again. :) Especially now that Facebook is around. :)

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  28. Thanks for the follow! I returned the favor! Love this post:) It's so true! http://www.mothernecessityblog.com/

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  29. What basic things we learn from a child.it's amazing.Lovely post as ever.

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  30. How true. Nice to meet you. I look forward to following along.

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  31. It is amazing how true your post is! When I take my three to the park they immediately are off with kids they have never met before, while I keep to myself watching them or reading a book. If only us adults could make friends that easily.

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  33. Love this, and we could definitely take a few lessons from these kids.

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  34. As we grow older we are taught to be 'politically correct' and what is a good way to present ourselves. As children we have let to learn this so although sometimes they embarrass us a little by things they might say or do they what they are doing is just natural. We are born with a knowledge that as we grow up in this 'civilized' world is stripped from us and we are taught to behave in a totally unnatural way!

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  35. Indeed, indeed, INDEED! I remember having friends of a different color as a VERY SMALL CHILD. But when the Civil Rights Movement broke out and my city was ravaged by riots, my parents and the other adults in our community TAUGHT us how to fear each other, and for the first time, unfortunately, I saw color. It wasn't good.

    Children possess many qualities that we adults should keep, that is for sure!

    THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG! Anita

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  36. I have often thought exactly this when i watch children initiate play...especially when i was a single mum...i was always in awe and a little jealous of my daughter who seemed to make friends everywhere...we adults can learn a lot from children!!

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  37. I always give my child a hard time when he doesn't know the name of the stranger kid he just met at the playground and played with for 45 minutes. Strange, but it just doesn't matter to kids. They live for the moment and names just get in the way. BTW, children not seeing color or socio-economic backgrounds are the result of good parenting, first;-)

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  38. This is so true!! And when did those barriers start and why?? It is sad really how jaded we become!

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  39. I love how innocent kids are and how they can easily looks past what some ppl in our culture still struggle to overcome. We can definitely learn a lot from our children :)

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  40. Absolutely! I learned a similar lesson from my daughter when she was in kindergarten & I never forgot it!

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  43. Try making a connection with everyone you meet! It is a good challenge.. Obviously , having children is a huge thing in common with this boys parents. They have crossed your path for some reason :)

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  44. This is so true! I just had this same type of lesson from my daughter the other day. It hit me hard that I could make friends a little more easily like she does with complete strangers:) Thanks for sharing!
    Jill
    twoyellowbirdsdecor.blogspot.com

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  45. We can learn a lot from our children. You have two wonderful boys for them not to judge someone of a different culture. They only cared about playing and that is AWESOME!

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  46. Kids are so wise an accepting! We can learn a lot from them!

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  47. I think I am the odd ball of most adults! LOL I am the one quick to say hi to a Muslim family with head covering on LMHO! I try my best to look at people through the eyes of Christ, as we are all the Human race. Great post sis, have a beautiful week:)

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  48. Kids don't notice differences as adults do. We should take lessons from them!

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  49. A great story with an even greater lesson. Kids don't judge and certain behaviors are learned. That is why it is so important as a parent to set good examples. Looks like you are doing the right thing!

    Thanks so much for stopping by...I love your blog! I am a follower now! :)

    XO,
    Jane

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  50. Great story, children have the best insight in what is good, they amaze me.

    Pam

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  51. so true! I agree...nice story!

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  52. I love that children can escape that societal barrier we abide by. Great blog. I look forward to your posts.

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  53. Very true, kids cut through all the adult crap and just have fun with an ease we could all do with.

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  54. awesome story!! Love that children are so pure and innocent. Love the blog, now following

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  55. That's a very nice story! It's great when people just focus on the point that they are PEOPLE and not what type of person they are.

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  56. That's a great reason kids are so awesome :)

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  57. It is amazing how free and open children can be. We adults could stand to follow their ways!

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  58. It's so true that kids learn the barriers from adults. They start with such open and accepting natures. Too bad we warp them. :(

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  59. So funny when they come in from playing and have no idea what the other one's name was!!
    Very insightful and so true. Following you... :)

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  60. Beautiful story.. kids sure have the right idea

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  61. I totally agree!! Great post, I loved it :)

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  62. What a wonderful life message! Thank you for sharing it.

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  63. So true, we can learn a lot from our kids.

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  64. Kids keep it simple, the way it should be.

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  65. I love looking at things through my grandsons eyes - so much clearer then mine. sandie

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  67. this is so true! I've often been in the mall by myself and seen a lovely gaggle of women shopping and laughing and having a grand ole time. Can you imagine if I walked up and said "hey, can I shop with you?" A child has no problem walking up though. And most other children have no problem welcoming them within their circle. I wonder at which point it all changed?

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  68. Absolutely ... I was just thinking today how amazing it is to see through my daughter's eyes! Thanks for stopping by my blog and following! :) I'm amazed that you have time to blog, and I love your clever, thoughtful posts!

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  69. That is God's secret to life, learning from the children. They enjoy the most simple things, are resilient, easily forgives and forgets. I've always thought about this, it is just not so easy to put into action all of the time as adults.

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  70. That is the way we should all live. Your kids have the right idea. Hope they grow up and keep the same wonderful personality.

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  71. Adults could indeed learn a lot from kids....I hope we do. Soon.

    Thanks for visiting my blog and following along. I'm following you now too! See how easy it was for us to meet each other...so sad that we don't practice that outside of the computer. : (

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  72. At least I will be following...when the followers button starts working. I'll try again when I'm on my home computer. Have a happy day!!

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  73. I love that post! This is so true, i have been watching it time and again with my daughter to. same story, doesnt know the name or the skin color and just enjoys playing with another human being.
    so much to learn from our wonderful kids...
    love
    jutta

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  74. i wish that people were more like children. life would go so much more smoother for us all. i love like you said to watch kids ... they don't think about all the baggage & junk we hold on to when we meet people. we can learn a lot from kids if we get them a chance. age is just a number nothing else. (:

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