Child-Like, not Child-ish

Children are wonderful, childhood is wonderful.

Children explore.

Children are fascinated with the world

Children see everything with new, big, wide eyes.

Children are satisfied with the simple things of life, like an empty box or a grassy hill.

Children are consumed with learning.

Children squeeze as much as they can out of each day.

Children are brave and fearless and take risks.

Children can concentrate intensely on subjects that interest them.

Children can show extreme care for a pet or concern for a suffering friend.

Children laugh and laugh and laugh often at the smallest and simplest of things.

Children don't care how they are perceived.

Children play.

Children have fun.

Children ask hard questions.

Children see things in black and white.

Children believe what you tell them.

Children have no cause to distrust.

Children live in truth.

All this is being child-like, which is good and normal and healthy.

So what is Child-ish-ness?

It is:

Wanting your own way all the time.

Refusing to share with others.

Giving yourself the biggest slice.

Assuming the world revolves around you.

Telling tales about others.

Gossiping.

Being unreliable.

Being indecisive.

Not tidying up after yourself.

An inability to keep appointments or arrive on time.

Blaming someone else.

Not taking responsibility for yourself, your words, your actions.

Getting distracted while doing a task.

Inability to focus.

Inability to set goals and achieve them.

Throwing tantrums when you don't get your way.

Slamming doors. Storming out of the house.

Telling 'Mum' or telling 'Dad' to get the other person in trouble (where 'mum' and 'dad' could be a solicitor, a judge, a policeman or some other authority figure).

Inflicting pain on beings smaller and weaker than yourself.

Laughing at others' misfortunes.

I recognise a lot of these in myself.

Time to embrace the child in me, but nibble away at the child-ish tendencies.