Act like a child

"Sing like no one is listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like no one is watching, and live like it is heaven on earth, " a quote by celebrated writer Mark Twain says.

He might as well have said, "Act like a child" as the gift of childhood is the ability to live without inhibitions.

Many parents describe the journey as a rebirth of themselves, and while there are those who try to live out their dreams through their children, for many, watching their children live free is a chance to remember who they were before adulting made them overly cautious.

They say those who achieve goals that seem impossible are those crazy enough to believe they can. Put another way, those who succeed, approach their goals like children, believing nothing is impossible.

I was at a birthday party last week for a tween (pre-teen) and when the music was put on, you could see many thinking before deciding whether to step on the dancefloor. However, the birthday boy's toddler sister hit the floor and started showing her moves. Before long, one pre-teen cautiously joined in and some minutes later, the pack had loosened up and started dancing (not like no one's watching as Twain advised, but at least they were dancing).

Engaging in conversation with one of the parents, we pondered on how nice it is to be carefree and not overthink, like a toddler, and we wondered why the carefree attitude started progressively being chipped away for many from the pre-teen years up until adulthood.

We miss out on many opportunities and experiences simply because we are overly cautious and thinking about what others might think, yet they don't care.

This concern about opinions tends to start around the pre-teen years and can become a paralysing habit. It might even start earlier when parents stifle their children's inquisitive spirit.

For parents reading this article, are you always saying no to your children's requests or stopping them in their tracks when they do what they do best and are supposed to be doing at their age - exploring and discovery?

Are you the kind of parent who says "no" to your child even before they have set out to do something or asked for something? You might slowly be killing your child's inquisitiveness and ambition.

When at the supermarket and your toddler sees you picking some oranges and packing them and wants to join in and help but you firmly tell them, "no, don't touch that". What are you showing them? Don't try anything? Don't participate in the world around you? You're picking oranges but they are not allowed to do so. Why?

When they grow up and don't want to do anything and are docile participants in the world around them, you might not be pleased. There's no harm in letting them pick the oranges and you'll put them back. As long as there's no danger.

In the same breath, What's stopping you from exploring the world around you and taking chances?

My challenge to you today is to remember who you were when you were a child. That fearless person ready to conquer the world and always up for the next exciting adventure in life.