Kids have a remarkable ability to find joy in simple things, often ignoring what adults consider important. They may not appreciate expensive things but can lose themselves in the wonder of dirt or popcorn. This conversation highlights the innocence and wisdom of childhood, urging parents to focus on genuine experiences rather than materialism. It’s a reminder that what truly matters is often overlooked by grown-ups, yet seen clearly through a child's eyes.
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insights INSIGHT
Kids' Unique Perspective
Kids often disregard things adults value.
They appreciate simple things and see through adult constructs.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Simple Joys
Kids might be unimpressed by expensive seats but enjoy free popcorn.
They value time with grandparents over meeting important adults.
insights INSIGHT
Parental Influence
Kids admire and emulate their parents.
A cherished old t-shirt can hold more value than expensive gifts.
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Meditations is a series of private writings composed by Marcus Aurelius, one of Rome's greatest emperors, as he struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe. Written between 170 and 180 CE while on military campaigns, this work combines Stoic philosophy with personal observations on leadership, duty, mortality, and human nature. Through twelve books of intimate thoughts never intended for publication, Marcus Aurelius explores themes of self-improvement, resilience in the face of adversity, and living virtuously while accepting what cannot be changed.
You can sit your kids down to watch what you think is the greatest movie of all time, and they’ll get bored and fall asleep. You can get floor seats to an NBA game and they’ll roll their eyes. You can introduce them to your fanciest, most important friends and they’ll want to go back to whatever they were doing before you called them over.
It’s almost a rule that kids don’t care about what you really, really want them to care about. And yet, there is something about kids that also seems to resemble that hilarious line from Homer Simpson. “I’m not easily impressed,” he tells Mr. Burns as they’re driving. Then he looks out the window and shouts, “Whoa! A blue car!”
Your kids might not understand how expensive those floor seats were, but they love that there is free popcorn. They might not appreciate that classic movie, but they can also play in the dirt with rapt presence for three hours. They don’t care about your billionaire boss, but they think Grandma and Grandpa are the two coolest people in the entire world. Whether they admit it or not, they think you are cool. That’s why they copy you, that’s why they want to put on your shoes, that’s why the t-shirt you gave them from when you were young is the one they love to sleep in every night.
Kids aren’t easily impressed, and yet somehow they are. It’s really that they see through most of the constructs us adults have taken for granted. They can naturally do what Marcus Aurelius practices in Meditations, the art of stripping things of the “legend that encrusts them.” Meanwhile, they also see simple, ordinary things for all the wonder and beauty that the rest of us miss. They see how little most things matter, and see how much other things do.
The Daily Dad 