Life is good for a baby. You wake up when you want, eat the moment you’re hungry and someone changes and washes you when you’re soiled. I can’t imagine adults living this life unless they have a 24-7 maid (or they’re in need of 24-7 care), but we don’t have to be treated like babies to be happy like babies. Here are a few lessons that I’ve learned from my 11-month-old son.
1. Smile– smiling shows others that you’re happy and brightens their mood. When my son smiles, my world lights up. He’s happy and I’m happy. Living in NYC, I’m often weirded-out when strangers are nice to me. I’ve forgotten that people tend to be nice. When we visited Philly, strangers were always smiling at us, greeting us with salutations and it was not weird to have conversations with them.
2. Sleep– sleep and rest when you’re tired. You can only do so much when you’re exhausted from the day’s activities. Put down that smartphone, log off of Instagram and Facebook, and sleep. When my son is tired, he shuts off the world and sleeps. He wakes up happy every single time after a nice rest.
3. Play– like sleeping, we also need to play. We have to learn to turn off the seriousness and worry– we will find ways to pay our bills. Turn on that inner-child and play– do what you love. Explore the city. Play with your children. Enjoy life a little, even during the week days.
4. Cry– you don’t always have to be tough or put on that poker-bitch-face. We have tears and tear ducts for a reason– we’re supposed to cry when we feel like it. The world is a tough place. Babies are born crying to cope with the cold, harsh world. When we need a good cry, just go for it.
5. Love– my son has taught me to love others more affectionately, show my appreciation and give more hugs and kisses. My son’s eyes light up when he sees me and his smiles are genuine and beautiful. He loves me with no qualms and I’ve learned to show my own parents this.
Live, laugh, learn, smile, sleep, play, cry and love like and baby and I guarantee you’ll be a much happier person.
New Mama Juggling it all in Nyc 