What does it mean to be a kid at heart?
By Tracy Schruder
To me, being a kid at heart means living in a state of wonder and awe. From my experience, kids typically live in the present moment – that is, if they’re untouched by harm and abuse. I remember my childhood as if I never grew up. Growing up in the seventies, I learned valuable lessons.
My parents, raised with strict discipline, were taught “spare the rod and spoil the child.” They were disciplined through violence and, as young parents, they could only raise us with the knowledge they had.
However, they learned and grew. Through their own suffering and heartache, watching their children struggle, they realized that there had to be a better way. It hurt them deeply to resort to physical discipline, but they did what they thought was best. As they grew older and wiser, they adapted their approach. By the time the fourth and fifth child came along, they had mellowed out significantly. Grounding and making us sit out special events became the new standard, and discipline was wielded with compassion and understanding.
I was fortunate to have experienced a shift in their parenting style during my childhood. As a result, I was able to enjoy my youth and develop my own personality. My sense of curiosity knew no bounds, and I was a vacuum, soaking up every experience and capitalizing on them.
I became a very creative child, with an imagination that often left me in a state of awe. I loved living in the moment, accepting each one with wonder and excitement. Painting, crafting, and taking pictures were favorite pastimes, and I enjoyed writing long, imaginative stories.
I never lost that sense of wonder, and I believe that’s what it means to be a kid at heart. It’s about embracing life with curiosity and awe, never letting go of the magic that makes childhood so special. And, as they say, being a kid at heart just means I’ve got a bigger imagination – and now I have an income to indulge it!
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