I often think I need to view the world through the eyes of toddler P. She completely lives in the moment, she enjoys what is happening there and then with no regard for the past or worry about the future. She focuses on what she can enjoy in that moment in time.

I’ve always been a natural born worrier and get myself boiled up over small things. That said, I’ve got a lot better, I’ll talk out my problems and concerns with my nearest and dearest, sometimes over talking it but once I’ve vented my anger and frustrations or admitted I already knew the points my friends make to put my worries at ease then generally my issues are done with. I’m getting a lot better at laying things to rest and accepting things I can’t change and moving on from them. However, I still think I could adopt more of my child’s innocence, lust for life and happiness in the smallest of things. So in a bid to be more light hearted, here’s a few of the things that she’s taught me:

1. We have a tiger living on our drive, in fact some days we’ve an entire jungle! She’s says hello to it daily along with the “ephaphant and ninoserous” and asks him to come back when he walks away. Her imagination is vivid and she lets it run wild regularly, I need to do more of this, I don’t always nurture my creative streak. I’ve also always had a good imagination and need to create, dance and play more to keep fresh-but don’t worry I won’t start saying hello to imaginary tigers in the car park on my way into work!

2. Running and shouting for no reason is fun, she runs around shouting and informing me that “I run around mummy” joining in this is fun, sometimes we run around the house and the garden screeching and chasing just because it’s silly. She loves and actually I do too, no matter how bad your day has been, running and laughing makes everything in the world seem better. We giggle and giggle at this. So the next time you joke at a passing jogger for being crazy, take it back, it’s possibly one of the best stress relievers.

3. Looking at the window counting birdies, cars and airplanes never gets old, people watching and gazing at the world go by is calming and relaxing. I need to do more of it.

4. You don’t have to be good at singing to enjoy it. Toddler P loves a good sing a long and when trying to keep up with one of her nursery rhyme megamix compilations it’s hard to feel fed up. Music evokes lots of emotions and memories, so more and more I’m tiring the tv off and the radio on which leads into number 5…..

5. Dancing is the only medicine!! Little miss P loves it as much as I do and has now developed the tea time high chair boogie. It’s her signature move and we bop in the kitchen daily. As the greeting cards say, “dance like no ones watching” well she does, she just lets her body move and loves every minute. I’ve missed dancing just for fun and am making it my mission to do more just for myself and not because of work.

6. She wants to comfort me just as much as I do her. Kids feed off emotions and I always notice she comes closer and wants more affection when I’m tired or have had a long day at work. She’s a good snuggled anyway but is extra cuddly as if she can sense my fatigue or stress. I need her love as much as she needs mine and she reminds me that we’re a team and that we can get through anything together.

7. Simple things are fun. Picking flowers, blowing bubbles, counting fingers and toes, collecting stones, talking to the ladybirds and feeding the birds. These are simple inexpensive things that provide lots of entertainment, fun and laughter. Drawing, painting, rolling out pastry and mixing in the baking bowl, are messy, uninterrupted fun that you never grow out of. It’s good to get your hands dirty and enjoy swinging on a swing and whizzing round on a roundabout.

8. Bugs are her friends. The spider behind the skirting board in the hall keeps disappearing to eat his sausage and carrot for tea (don’t ask me where she gets this stuff from 🤷🏻‍♀️). The buzzy bee wants (needs she actually says) her to go out and play on the slide with her. And the caterpillar wants to share her breakfast. She’s not afraid of bugs and actually they’ll do her no harm so I need to man up and get over my fear of creepy crawlers-it’s just nature.

9. She knows she’s beautiful and she’s not afraid to tell anyone “I pretty mummy” and when I ask her who her favourite is she says “me” she openly admits she loves herself, “I love mummy and I love me!” She says it with pride and enthusiasm and I’m glad because before you love anyone you half to love yourself first. This one I really need to concentrate one, out of the mouths of babes eh?!

10. She’s ambitious. “‘My do it” “no mummy, I do it I-self” is the soundtrack to my life. She wants to do everything herself and woe betide me if I get in her way. She thinks she can do everything and is so determined to prove she can. She attempts anything over and over and is very reluctant to admit defeat and allow me to fasten her shoes or zip her coat. She doesn’t let me or her own fear of not being able to do anything stop her from trying. She’ll give anything a go and give it a real damn good try, even if it’s a rush to get out the door and I’d really appreciate being able to put her clips in her hair so that we can arrive before my morning staff briefing starts (cue eye roll emoji!). I should take a leaf out of her book and stop telling myself I cannot do stuff, she’s living proof that it’s not always about achieving the end goal, it’s about giving it your all to try and reach it that matters.

11. She wakes up happy every morning. She joyfully shouts “mummy” and begins her day as she means to go on, happy excited. In fact some days she tells me for no apparent reason that she’s “eeggited mummy.” It sure beats my dreary lean over to smack the snooze button!

My daughter is hilarious, I admire her confidence, her sass, her love and happiness over everything. Don’t get me wrong she’s a typical terrible two year old (and she’s not even two yet) that tries my patience, but she’s got an excitement, a joy and enthusiasm for just being, that I’m envious of. She is happy just being happy and in reality it’s a lesson I think we all need to learn. We need to play more, we need to laugh, imagine and enjoy life for being life a little more. Easier said than done I know, but it’s interesting to see how we differ as we get older and lose that natural excitement that toddlers wake up with everyday. I’m certainly aiming to view the world through her eyes a little more.