Childlike People Are My Favorite People

plus some fangirling about bubbles

Happy July! I hope your summer is going well. A friend mentioned that so far she’s having a “bummer summer” and I get that. I hope it turns a corner for you. More on that in the personal greetings at the bottom.

This month we’re talking about childlikeness! Note that it’s not the same as childish-ness. (“What’s the difference between childlikeness and childishness?” is a good discussion starter.)

Childlike people are my favorite people. Probably yours, too, whether you realize it or not. There are so many traits in my kids that are so incredible that I don’t always notice, but I think I subtly appreciate them when I see adults displaying them because it’s so rare.

Think about things that come naturally for most kids:

• Confidence - they believe they’re amazing artists, singers, dancers, and ball-throwers because, well, don’t you see their cool tricks? 😉

• Curiosity - they are constantly awed and enchanted, they want to know how things work, and they’re unashamedly aware that they don’t know everything

• Lack of pretense - why try to make it look like you’re someone you’re not? (Unless you’re playing pretend, of course)

• Quick to make friends and quick to forgive - anyone who’s witnessed kid-drama has probably been amazed by how quickly things can be resolved; they’ll be playing together as best friends again in no time because kids are resilient forgivers

• Lightheartedness - kids don’t seem bogged down by the same things grownups are, and they can talk about hard things with levity because they know there’s still so much that’s going right

So this month, let’s take some time to learn from the kids in your life. What do you love about them? What might they have to teach you?

Another question: who in your life helps you feel like a kid when you’re with them?

One day my husband and I realized that childlikeness was what we liked most about our closest friends, each other, and ourselves. When we’re at our best, we’re lighthearted, compassionate, honest, humble, and fun…like kids. Sometimes when one of us is having a bad day, we try to remind each other, “Stay young.”

Here’s a screen saver reminder!

Spending time with other people who are childlike—including, of course, our own children—helps us do that very thing.

Remember, the goal is not immaturity, or even naivety…but this month can we be more fun? During July, can we find more enjoyment in the little things and take ourselves a little less seriously? I’d love to hear about what that looks like for you. Here are some of the discussion questions so you can save them to your phone and ask a friend, but I’d love to see some answers in the comments too!

Activity Idea - What Makes You Feel Like a Kid Again?

Ok, a few more questions to ponder: what makes you feel like a kid again? You don’t have to play with toy trucks, join in Barbie narratives, or pretend to care about Minecraft. But what do you like? What art can you try without trying to turn it into a side hustle, what forms of exercise would you do even if you weren’t trying to get trim, and what books would you read even if they don’t have a direct connection with your daily responsibilities? What makes you giggle?

For me, one of the first things to come to mind in summer is bubbles. Can you imagine being the first person to see a bubble…to be the first human to witness a near-perfect, transparent orb bobbing about in the air before it gently popped? Like…how crazy that we live in a world with bubbles. I love them so much.

Target’s Sun Squad brand bubble gear is a great deal: $5 for large wands and a dish and $4 for 80 oz of solution; I’m a bubble-solution snob and this one passes the test. Walmart sells two liters of Gazillion bubbles for $4, which is also a very satisfying brand. Bubble wands made with cords and poles are super cool too and apparently you can make them with sticks and ropes. Oh, and you can concoct your own bubble solution if you’re so inclined.

Anyway, I don’t have any special Pinteresty activity ideas this week; I just want my kids to see me ooh and ahh over bubbles, giggle wildly with my friends, fall over with joy when I eat a good brownie, and apologize and forgive and move on quickly when there’s drama.

I hope the children in our lives see us being childlike this month, and I hope we all learn a lot from them ❤️

Meal Inspiration - Play With Your Food

Last year’s meal inspo emails were extra fun to make; paid subscribers can access archived posts like “Easy, Fun Food” and “Treasure Map Pizza, Dragon Eggs, Ronto Wraps, and more!” Here are a couple of my favorites from those:

Hot Tub Soup Guy

Make a soup or curry then use sticky rice to shape a little figure who’s enjoying a bath or jacuzzi 🤪 We cut some mint leaves into eyes and a smile.

Dragon Eggs

Hard-boil some eggs but leave the shells on! Gently crack it all over; kids love this part. Then mix food coloring of your choice with some water in a bowl and put your cracked eggs in it. Soak in the fridge overnight and unpeel them to find colorful veins all over! Dragon eggs! They’re not going to be perfect, but they’ll still be really cool 😎

Cracker Canvases

Another fun and easy activity is to use graham crackers or tiny toasts as little canvases! Put down a base coat of cream cheese, nutella, or peanut butter, then decorate with whatever you have on hand. My kids and I had a lot of fun with this. Some people have made a graham cracker flower garden or even underwater scene. I’d love to see pics of what you come up with!

Food can be fun!

Personal Greetings

Earlier I mentioned that some of us are having a rough time right now, right when it seems like everyone else is traveling the world, looking great in swimsuits, being swept off their feet by their significant other, and I don’t know, having time to read on the beach or whatever. (I’m probably due for a social media break because I want to be a person who’s happy for these people instead of jealous of them 🤪) Sigh. Anyway, I am always collecting optimistic songs, and I think these two are pretty great. If you’re having a bummer summer, these words are for you ❤️

• “Sometimes the world's just a little too much
  So you play a sad song to cheer yourself up
  And tell yourself that you are ok
  Saying Imma be ok”
  - from “Ok” by PEABOD feat. Hollyn

• “I hope love and peace you'll find
  After all your painful times
  And life feels lighter than you could ever know
  And I'd give you a billion hugs
  Just to say that you're enough
  And these hard years just took you to higher bluffs”

  -from “Things Are Looking Up” by Judah & The Lion

I hope we learn from children together this month. I’d love to hear how you’re growing. Have a great week.

Warmly,

Hope from Family Scripts