We adults tend to look back at certain points of our lives and think, “Man, if only I could go back….” You know, the good ol’ days! We seem to never realize when we are in the midst of the good days until we are reminiscing about them. Well, I’m here to argue that the BEST of the good old days, for most of us, was toddlerhood.
Yup, toddlerhood. Not when you were in high school and super popular. Not when you were in your 20’s and had the skinny, pre-kids body with those perky boobs (though, those times were great, too). The best days of our life that we took for granted were years 2 and 3. Think about it:
When were you allowed to crap your pants, waft it around the house, everyone knowing you’re the culprit, and it didn’t make you a gross, social outcast? When you were two years old.
When did you get away with whatever you wanted, just because you could pull out the crocodile tears or puppy dog eyes? When you were an adorable three-year-old.
When else were you so quickly forgiven for breaking people’s stuff because you “couldn’t help” your clumsiness? And then not expected to pay for replacing or fixing it? When you were two.
When did people judgingly stare at your mom, instead of at you, when you yelled and acted like a jerk, making a scene in the grocery store? When you were three years old.
When did you not have to do chores or pay bills or do anything other than play, play, play? When you were two.
When was it easiest to make friends, having to just declare, “You’re my friend!” and the decision was made? When you were three.
When could you get comfy, stripping down to run around buck-naked and people called it “cute” or “funny,” instead of an “indecent exposure” criminal charge? When you were two years old.
When did you not care about sleep, and yet, were given chances every single day to nap as long as you wanted? When you were two AND three.
Seriously, I could go on and on. Toddlers have it made and it’s sad that they don’t yet have the mental maturity to truly appreciate it! So if I could be a toddler again, with some of the knowledge I have now (like how much it sucks to pay bills), I would really live it up. I’d give up the hassle of having to walk all the way to the bathroom to relieve myself when I’d rather keep playing. And I’d really embrace that crazy toddler energy we all desperately wish we could bottle (and snort)!
Sure, adulthood has its perks, but I still think I’d go back to toddlerhood.
Wouldn’t you?