Being Five is Awesome

We can learn a lot from five-year-olds

I was on the phone the other day with a friend when she asked:

"Is Izzy excited for her sixth birthday next week?"

"Oh yes!" I replied, "But before that she's excited about Grandma visiting, she's excited for the bake sale at school on Friday, she's also excited she doesn't have to wear her uniform that day, but she's excited to wear her uniform tomorrow. She's excited that school is ending for summer, but really she's just as excited for it to start up again in September."

Being five is awesome!

When I ask Izzy how her day went I usually get "It. Was. The. Best. Day. Ever!" I love it. If you ask me how my day was, I'll first tell you all the annoying crap that happened followed by a begrudgingly, "Eh, it wasn't so bad."

Am I 40 years too late for that five-year-old joy?

I'm a fairly positive person, but I can't compete with the utter joy of childhood. What is it that changes?

When we walk home from school, Izzy dawdles, stopping to look and smell flowers, pop into the local frame shop to chat with the owner, she comments on everything she sees, and all I can do is rush. Why? Why can't I (literally) stop and smell the roses?

Oh right, responsibility

Like a fine wine, I'd hoped to mellow with age, but I've turned to vinegar. I'm in such a hurry to get everything done; dinner cooked, eaten and cleaned up, dog fed, child bathed, brushed, read to and put to bed. Then I sit and start winding down. I don't know about you, but my day goes at 100 miles an hour and I look forward to when it's done. Is that how you're supposed to live? That is so not awesome.

Mini Buddha

A few years ago I was complaining about the weather and Izzy very calmly said to me, "Mommy, you need to let the weather be what it will be." Had she asked me to kiss her robe, I might have.

It seems we can learn from our little ones. Her nickname is 'Sunshine' and I think that it's really appropriate because since she entered my life I no longer really suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

She sees everything so freshly with her little 'five-soon-to-be-six-year-old' eyes. Whereas I used to dread autumn and the darkening nights and closing in of the horrid English winter, she's changed my mind so that I now embrace autumn and all the wonderful things it offers.

Let me tell you, I know all about those wonderful thing because she will stop and pick up every. single. leaf.

Sharon, Working Mom and Native New Yorker