6 Things Kids Learn and Adults Forget

One of the most enjoyable aspects of having kids (aside from wiping up poop and drool) is watching them discover the world around them. Like when my toddler took his first shower and exclaimed, “Rain!” or when my newborn daughter touched her hands together for the first time and was like, “Whoa. Are BOTH of those MINE?”

Then, somewhere over the next 18 years, kids start to forget the things they’ve learned. Maybe our brains are too full after all that time (I still remember The Numbers from Lost and Bon Jovi’s astrological sign, so clearly there’s no room for anything else) or maybe we just become lazy.

Whatever the reason, here are six things kids learn and adults forget:

1. Pick up your socks. Better yet, throw those bad boys straight in the hamper. The first thing my two-year old son does after taking off his socks is run to the laundry room and proudly deposit the stink-bombs where they belong. My husband will clap and cheer, yet still leave his own socks scattered around the house. Is my husband just waiting for his own round of applause?

2. Nursery rhymes and songs. Kids know ALL the words to ALL the songs and will happily recite them over and over and over and ohmigod would you please FIND ANOTHER SONG?!? But when my son was a newborn, I rarely got past the first verse before making up my own words. I know the wheels on the bus go round and round but I don’t know what the heck else the bus does. Blast loud music? Drop kids off? Go really slow when mommy is in a hurry? No idea!

3. Mind your manners. Kids say “please” and “thank you” because they’ve learned that’s the quickest way to get what they want. Yet adults order coffee or check out at the grocery store without ever uttering the phrases. Please use your manners, fellow grown-ups of the world. Thank you!

4. Do unto others. Kids learn to not hit because they don’t want to be hit. Don’t eat your sister’s food because she’ll eat yours AND hit you. Don’t call your brother a booger nose because he’ll call you a snotty nose while flicking boogers at you. But spend two minutes reading the comments section of most blogs and you’ll see some truly primitive behavior that I’m sure these so-called adults wouldn’t be able to handle if it were directed at them.

5. If you wear glasses, you’re still the same person. My baby daughter just learned this the other day. Her expression was priceless when she realized mommy is still mommy even with really big sunglasses on. The people of Smallville still haven’t realized that Superman is just Clark Kent without glasses (and extra-tight undies).

6. Just have fun. I can’t remember the last time I sat down to relax and just enjoy the moment. No computer, no multi-tasking, no mentally running through to-do lists. But I can tell you the last time my son did because it was two seconds ago. Kids know how to extract the maximum amount of fun out of any situation, for no other purpose than it makes life worth living. Perhaps we adults could learn (or remember) to do the same.