by Becky Robbins

Created on: November 29, 2009

Whether you have children yourself or just happen to know a few, you can agree that children say the funniest things. You will also agree that sometimes those statements are brutally honest and if you don't have thick skin, it may sting a little. Children see things in a way that as adults, we often forget.

The book, "The Little Prince," by Antoine de Saint-Exupery is a prime example of a child's mind. Children have great imaginations and are extremely creative. They are open-minded as well as honest to any situation. Most of all, children are curious. The world is a beautiful and mysterious place that must be explored.

When children are drawing, you may never understand what they are drawing. That picture may look like a circle or a bunch of scribbles to the adult mind. To the child, it is a world or a family. You never know until you ask. The imagination of a child is ever changing. One day that drawing is a horse. The next day it is a rocket ship on the way to the moon. As we age into adulthood, our imaginations and creativity may be put on the back burner. Practicality and work move onto the front burner, becoming the focus of life.

It is important to retain that imagination and creative nature. When your children are sitting at the table coloring or drawing a picture for Grandma, sit down with them. Let yourself go to that peaceful place. Let those creative juices flow and just have fun.

It is the brutal honesty of a child that can be refreshing and hurtful all at the same time. Recently, I cut my hair quite short. When I came home from the hairdresser's my son looked at me and said, "You look like Aiden now." It was a shock at first, but he wasn't meaning it in a bad way. He was just blunt in the way he pointed out how short the hair was.

One thing to remember is that children are curious. They are exploring and learning about the world around them. It is natural for them to ask questions and make observations. They are uninhibited, so they don't always think about the words they are saying. They are only trying to get their point across. As adulthood looms, we tend to not ask as many questions and even shy away from honesty. Sometimes honesty can be hurtful and we would rather keep things copasetic.

Above all, children are open. When a small child looks at you and says, "Mommy, I'm happy. Are you happy? I want you to be happy too." A child is honest about his feelings and wants to make sure people around him are happy too. Creativity manifests into humor as a child grows. It is that humor, that innocence, and that honesty that make children unique. They can teach adults a lot about the world.

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