In the whirlwind of becoming a parent, and in parenting, one often finds themselves oscillating between overwhelming joy and paralysing fear.
Holding my newborn daughter for the first time was a moment of pure bliss, quickly shadowed by the daunting realisation of the responsibility ahead.
Seeking guidance, I turned to a doctor who offered a simple yet profound piece of advice: as parents, we are our children’s greatest teachers.
The beginning
From that moment on, my wife and I embarked on a journey of discovery, navigating the ups and downs of parenthood while striving to impart wisdom and nurture our daughter’s growth.
As she transitioned from a helpless infant to a curious toddler, we soon realised that the roles of teacher and student were not as rigid as we initially thought.
Indeed, as our daughter explored the world with unbridled enthusiasm and unfettered imagination, we began to see the wisdom in embracing the toddler mindset. Their innate ability to find joy in the simplest of things, and to approach each day with wonder and curiosity, is a lesson in resilience and optimism that adults would do well to heed.
Yet, it’s not just their boundless energy and infectious laughter that captivate us. Toddlers possess a remarkable capacity for passion and determination, unencumbered by self-doubt or fear of failure.
In their world, every obstacle is an opportunity, every setback a chance to try again with renewed vigour.
The reflection
As I reflected on my daughter’s fourth birthday, I could not help but marvel at the person she was becoming. In her laughter, her boundless curiosity, and her unwavering kindness, I saw glimpses of the toddler she once was – a reminder that the qualities we cherish most in children are often the ones we struggle to maintain as adults.
In a society that often prioritises productivity over playfulness and pragmatism over imagination, perhaps we could all benefit from embracing the toddler mindset.
After all, it’s in the moments of uninhibited joy, in the unbridled laughter and boundless curiosity, that we truly come alive.
As per Naomi Aldort‘s quotation, “Children do not need us to shape them. They need us to respond to who they are.”
As parents, my wife and I have learned as much from our child as we have taught her.
She has shown us how to see the world through fresh eyes, how to find joy in the simplest of moments, and how to approach life with a sense of wonder and possibility.
In many ways, she has taught us what it truly means to live.
