Grow up....NOT!!!
Tuesday, July 26, 2005So I was browsing around all of my deputy slacker's pages and I came across a post the beautiful Kira had up about something cute, yet totally true that her daughter had said.
You know you all have had that experience. You're with a child, whether it's yours or a friends or just a stranger. The kid says something off the wall but after you hear it you think it's totally true and that you've thought something like that, but would never say it.
Bill Cosby had a show about that "Kids Say the Darnedest Things" or something like that. Every week there were kids saying something that I'm sure the adult near them was thinking, or maybe something they had thought a long time ago, but now were just to jaded to think.
Children have the best view of the world, so simple and idealistic, and so inquisitive. The wonderful creativity and imagination of kids is always amazing. So why do we lose that as we "grow up?" And, do we really have to grow up?
Yeah, we get older, we learn more about the world and we take on more responsibility. Those all happen, but do those things mean we have to give up that idealistic view of the world? Give up the dreams and imagination? I don't see why!
Too many kids grow up too quickly nowadays. Instead of playing "house" or "cops and robbers" They're the ones taking care of their siblings because their parents have to work two jobs to keep food on the table. Too many adults "grow up" to be tired and cynical. Society as a whole seems to grow more and more depressed and I think it's because everyone's trying to be too "grown up" and not keeping around enough of the kid inside them!
I think anyone with kids, or anyone around them, will agree: One of the best parts about having kids around is that it gives you and excuse to PLAY. When's the last time any of you played? I don't mean playing video games, I mean going out and doing something fun, silly, imaginative or otherwise non "grown-up."
I have a little shelf in my room with stuffies on it. I have it to remind me to not always take things so seriously. I also plan on having at least one Water gun/water balloon fight before summer is over.
It's OK to keep the kid inside you around. It's OK to relax and have some fun. It's OK to PLAY sometimes! Stop being so serious people and start having some fun. Let the kid inside you out once in a while. Don't be in a hurry to be all "grown-up" and take some time to enjoy life!
*Edit* Don't quit being an adult and doing "grown-up" things. But don't lose the kid inside you either. let it out once in a while!
So what do you have to keep the kid inside you around? What have you done lately?
posted by Chief Slacker @ 10:01 AM,
14 Comments:
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At Tue Jul 26, 10:55:00 AM,
Marie said...
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What an awesome post! I love it. :) Let's see...it may not be just a kid" thing but it's something that I used to do as a child thru my teen years - boogie boarding at the beach! I did that recently for the first time in at least 10 years and it was awesome! It brought back the feeling I had when I was a kid. Eating an ice-cream cone is something I do to make me feel like a kid again...for some reason I evolved into eating my ice-cream in a cup instead of a cone. Oh, and last week I was jumping on the couch as I was listening to some of favorite music. LOL...I probably look like a crazy woman, but whatever. ;) By the way, I'd love to be in a good water gun/balloon fight again. How fun!
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At Tue Jul 26, 11:19:00 AM,
Amber said...
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This is exactly why I go on trips in the summer with my high school kids. We PLAY and act totally silly and don't care what anyone else thinks because we're having so much fun, almost to the point of being obnoxious. We've dubbed it "The Lakewood Show -- number one in six states and Mexico" because we went through 6 states and Mexico this summer. The think I love most is the fact that I'm totally and completely ME when I'm like that. No corporate persona, no concern about what the people around me think, no worries that I'm being immature -- it doesn't matter and it's awesome.
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At Tue Jul 26, 02:44:00 PM,
said...
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I run with rusty scissors. It reminds me of how bad puncture wounds hurt.
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At Tue Jul 26, 02:58:00 PM,
Paulius said...
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Gotta agree with you 100%
Yes, I'm a 'grown-up', yes I have resposibilities, but that doesn't mean I can't act like a 4 year old just for the sheer fun of it.
That's why I bought myself a lazer-tag set for chirstmas, it's the reason I chased the wife around the house with a super-soaker for 45 minutes.
The world is far too serious. Back at school, I had a 'career interview' when I was 11 years old. What 11 year old in the world thinks about what career they want when they grow up (other than astronaut or fireman, of course).
I think the world would be a much better place if people allowed themselves to be 'silly', and resolve problems the way we used to as kids.
Think how much time and money it would save, if instead of suing someone, you called them a 'stupid head' and threw a water balloon at them. -
At Tue Jul 26, 03:11:00 PM,
Just Me said...
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i hang upside down on the monkey bars with my daughter...every once in a while this will happen and i'll hear...'your shirt flew up mommy...i saw your boobies!'...oops
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At Tue Jul 26, 03:27:00 PM,
Chief Slacker said...
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Marie - Doing something you haven't done since you were a kid is great. that's why I joined the Kickball League. Totally fun! And you're definitely welcome at the water fight, just make sure to wear white ;O)
Anmber - Exactly, another reason being a kid was great, non of the fakeness! always fun to hang out and have a good time.
Diana - I added a little edit because of you ;O) I never meant to stop being adult, I simply meant adults needs to Be more like kids. Relax and have a fun time. You don't have to be serious 100% of the time.
Cap B - yeah puncture wounds are no good.
Paulius - yeah i had taht same "Career" thingy. they said I should be a surgeon, yet I hated blood. WHy put the pressue on kids to grow up so fast? Keep having fun my friend!
Wendi - Remind me to ask you and the Bug to the park if I ever visit ;O) -
At Tue Jul 26, 03:56:00 PM,
Leesa said...
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I totally agree! I tell my Hub all the time that he's way too serious!! There's got to be a little kid come out every now and then. We really enjoy that in the winter here. We all get on 4 wheelers and pull tubes behind them. We get out butt's kicked, but it's fun as hell! Of course add a few beers to the mix and you don't feel how much it hurts!!
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At Tue Jul 26, 04:17:00 PM,
OzzyC said...
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I play with my kids. I play on the XBox, ride bikes, chase them around the house (yes, we're literally running in the house), watch WWE Wrestling and play "tackle dad." We do something like this a couple of times a week. When we play chase and tackle dad, the standing rule is that the game's over when someone is hurt enough to cry.
But being a grown-up isn't mutually exclusive from being a kid. At work, I still roll my computer chair across the floor. In my car, I still crank up the music. When I'm with friends, I still tell fart jokes. I'm a member of a SIM NASCAR racing league.
Despite all of this though, I make a decent living, so I can provide for my kids. I pay my bills, cook, clean house and do all of that other shit that adults need to do.
Best of all, I get to drink beer, cuz I'm over 21. And I do it because I'm not so old that I'm worried that one more beer will do me in. But I'm responsible and don't drink-n-drive.
In the end, I say it's all about balance. -
At Tue Jul 26, 05:23:00 PM,
Sunny said...
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Yeah- balance is good.....I too go to work every day, get the bills paid, do the housework(but as little as possible of THAT mess) , then I get to play. I love play with the lazer tag set Paulius and I got for X-mas(best played in the twilight and early evening hours)- I love to have water fights in any way, shape, or form, I love board games, I love wrestling with hubby or having pillow fights, and going to McDonalds for a happy meal is on the top of my list too. I love going to the park and playing on the swings and the slides- and I am planning a trip to the Theme park later this month.(Carowinds on the SC-NC state line)
I was the Kool-Aid mom when my kids were growing up, I got out and biked and hiked with them and played frisbee, badmitton, and football on autumn evenings. In the wintertime we would sled down the banks on a tobaggan, in the summertime we would sled down the same banks on a huge piece of cardboard.
I think there's a bit of Peter-Pan in all of us....only some of us are secure enough in our maturity to let Peter out when we feel like it tho.
Don't you feel sorry for the ones of us who can't? -
At Tue Jul 26, 05:43:00 PM,
Chief Slacker said...
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Leesa - Sledding rules. I love going sleeding, tubing.. or just having snowball fights :O)
OzzyC - Absolutely not mutually exclusive. You can have fun with your kids and still be taking care of them. Alcohol is a good toy though :O)
Diana - You always bring up good points ;O) Quit worrying abo0ut being a prude, you opinion is your opinion you're fine in more ways than one.
Sunny - Totally! Peter-pan I think that's the whole point of peter pan! Find taht place where you are happy... watch the movie Finding Neverland. it's all about discovering your inner happiness. -
At Tue Jul 26, 06:32:00 PM,
Kira said...
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Telling you all about what I do to remain a child at heart would involve also telling you about the Belching Ghost, so I guess I'll skip it....LOL
The most profound moment a child ever gave me was my niece Alegra, when I was 22 years old. I was walking with her--19 months--down to the playground at the end of the street, and she saw an acorn for the first time. She had this cute word that she used when she didn't know the word to it: "Tuma." Her eyes went wide, awestruck, and she said in a reverent voice, "TUMA!" as she picked up the acorn and cradled it and held it up to me. My instinct at first was, well, it's 'just' an acorn...but for two seconds, I realized that she had no idea what an acorn was, so it was NOT just a random nut from a tree to her. I will never forget that moment! I kneeled down next to her and showed her the Tuma, explaining it was an acorn, and we pulled off the little 'top hat' the nut had...she was soooo amazed, like I had just shown her how I could fly with the power of my hair or something. Wow!
As long as you have kids and see things through their eyes, you will never lose wonder of the world, down to its tiniest details... -
At Wed Jul 27, 01:00:00 AM,
Paulius said...
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Just thought of something.
Saw something on TV about people who play LARPG's (Live Action Role Playing Games).
Not content to play dungeons and dragons, or Diablo or Fallout on the PC...these people actually dress up as their characters and act out a Role Playing Game.
This to me is the epitomy of grownups playing like children, using their imaginations and pretending to be Gandalf the Wizard or Olaf the Hairy.
Of course, they're regarded as uber-geeks, I may even go so far as to call them Gnerds.
Maybe that's why people aren't particulary enthusiastic about being silly once in a while...you get branded a weirdo. -
At Wed Jul 27, 06:32:00 AM,
Nadia said...
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very nyc post,totally digged it,reminds me that i have to have fun once in a while and no matter how old u are u can remain young at heart,have fun on ur date.
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At Wed Jul 27, 09:17:00 AM,
Chief Slacker said...
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Kira - You can't get off that easy! No mentioning this "belching Ghost and not talking about it! And you can fly with the power of your hair? This I want to see!
Paulius - That totally makes me think of that Episode I Triumph the Comic Dog skit... "You must be some kind of super nerd. Made up of part os lesser nerds!" hehe But yeah, that totally is people being "kidlike."
Nadz - Exactly, HAVE FUN. Too many people don't do that anymore.