Today is June First, International Children's Day! Happy Children's Day! The Day was first proclaimed in 1925 in Geneva during the World Conference on Child Welfare. It is celebrated today in many countries outside the U.S.
On Children's Day, many fond memories of childhood activities come back, with lots of carefree days in the suburbs of Tianjin. Perhaps there's some truth to the saying—there is a little child in each of us, and some part of our early experiences and childhood memories never go away.
On this day, I think of the words of a young father. When commenting on the amount of money pouring into his new baby, he said, "He is worth millions. No money can buy this."
On this day, I also reflect on the profound positive impact children have on parents' lives. Often, we think about how parents guide and nurture children during their growing-up journey. Seldom do we realize that children provide us an opportunity for another journey: one of self-growth and self-discovery for parents, if we are open to such growth.
One of the most transformative parts of parenting is reconnecting with our inner child and retrieving something we lose in our hectic adult lives. Being with a young child, rediscovering the simple pleasures we have overlooked, the joy and playfulness, all remind us that life is not all work and no fun and the purpose of life is to enjoy it. Children help awaken in us the spontaneous smile, the appreciation of small wonders in daily life, 小满 and much more of what we lose on the way to becoming adults.
When it comes to being empathetic and authentic, open and unbiased, curious and exploring, natural and unpretentious, children are our best teachers.
This open-minded reciprocal relationship not only enriches our lives but also creates a nurturing environment for our children to grow into confident, emotionally healthy adults. As our children learn and grow, so do we, evolving and developing, finding new directions, new levels of empathy, patience, and joy of our own life.
As we enjoy International Children's Day, let the day be a reminder to us to embrace the joy, creativity, curiosity, spontaneity, authenticity, and wonder that childhood brings and to carry the magic of childhood with us every day.