Friday, November 5, 2010

Why I Loved Kindergarten

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As a 40 year old woman, I have to come to realize that the stupidest thing I ever did as a child was wish to be an adult. I was picking my kidlet up from school and happened to spy the kindergarteners. Now THAT is the life. I actually remember kindergarten. I went to a catholic school with my cousin. It was the best. We had cookies, sing a longs, free play, and nap time. Nap time was the best.

Now a days, I work over 10 hours a day. 7 days a week. I haven’t napped in the afternoon since my last bout of the flu. I have multiple responsibilities that do not go away when I shut my eyes and pray. I worry about my family, my looks, my weight, our health, bills. I worry every time we go out in public because there are a lot of crazy peoples out there who seem to be inching closer to our little home. The worry never stops. Being an adult sucks. lol

I want to be a kindergartener again; where the hardest decision of my day is wondering if you should go with the blue or red crayon. Knowing that no matter what you do each day, your mom/dad will be waiting there to pick you up with a smile, a kiss, and maybe a cookie. :) I wonder how much better our lives would be if we all followed the kindergarten code.

I think Robert Fulghum book-All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten sums it best so I am sharing an excerpt out of his book.

Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work some every day.

Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the plastic cup. The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the plastic cup - they all die. So do we.

And then remember the book about Dick and Jane and the first word you learned, the biggest word of all: LOOK . Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation, ecology and politics and sane living.

Think of what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had cookies and milk about 3 o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankets for a nap. Or if we had a basic policy in our nation and other nations to always put things back where we found them and clean up our own messes. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

 

Now please excuse me while I go grab a coloring book, some crayons, and color my day a little brighter.

6 comments:

Mandi said...

oooh..cookies, blanket and a nap...I'm so ready :)

the_happy_hausfrau said...

I love it! I work with kids every day and am always reminded of how simple and good life could be if these principles were applied to everyday life. Sweet post.

rissatoo said...

Love the post. I will try to be more like a kindergartener today. And I think I will try to pass some of that wisdom on... :)

Gigi's Consignment Closet said...

Mandi-I'm so ready. lol

the_happy_hausfrau-Thank you. Kidlets look at the world so different. We could learn a lot if we just remembered that age.

rissatoo-Thank you. I'm going to try better myself. :)

Patti (@TheLoveJunkee) said...

Great post! Yestserday my 4yo was so delighted to see the neighbor's dog wearing a sweater - I want to be that excited about silly stuff :)

Gigi's Consignment Closet said...

Patti-Yes, exactly. I want to be excited as those kidlet's I saw skipping from class just because they could.