This I Believe

I believe in kids. I believe that kids can teach us some valuable lessons, whether or not they intended to. They can impact us and challenge us to think differently. Kids teach us that not everything has to be so complex, that life can be simple. They are always honest about their opinions. If they do not want to do something like a certain craft, they will tell you. Or if they will tell you if they like you or not. Kids also show others how to live a carefree life, and not worry about every single detail. Kids also have a great imagination, and dream big whenever they think about the future. All kids believe that they can make it to a major league sports team, or become the president of the country. Whatever it is that the child wants to do, they will go out of their way to do it, or at least have a lot of knowledge about the subject. These are just a few things kids teach older people, rather the other way around.

Kids have bright imaginations and they give hope to the future. I want to become a teacher one day to help this process. I want to become their inspiration. I believe children now will be the ones to rise up and actually make a difference in this world. I believe no one is too young to make a difference. As we all start to grow up, we forget some things that children understand quite well, and they explain it to us in various ways. We need to start looking at the world as if we were children again.

At my high school, there was a preschool program that little kids could go to where the teachers would be multiple high-schoolers getting training for being teachers. I took this course, and one day I was playing the game “red light, green light,” and after a while, the preschoolers wanted to add another colored light to signal that the person wanted everyone to hop on one foot. So, we played this game with red, green, yellow, and purple light. Even though they all knew that there was no such thing as a purple light on the road, the preschoolers came up with a new and creative way to play the game. I had another preschooler who wanted to become an astronaut when they grew up, so he knew all about astronauts and space and spaceships. He was determined to know everything that he could possibly know about being an astronaut. Another preschooler was very observant. He would not always join in on playing whatever game, but rather he sat and watched because it was more simple and enjoyable for him that way. Last year I also interned as a first-grade teacher. Those kids were some of the most honest kids I have ever met. If one student did not feel like doing a certain activity or making a certain craft, they made it clear. They would straight up say, “But I don’t want to!” If it was an educational activity I would have to tell them they have to do it, but they taught me that being honest is good, so that others around you can know how you feel. I am in college now, and I am astonished by children and the things I learn from them every day. I always feel like I am supposed to be teaching kids something, but every time, no matter what the context is, the kids end up teaching me something. Therefore, I put my trust and belief in children.