Some things you just never grow out of and mostly these are things that you just shouldn’t want to grow out of either, because they’re fun, exciting, still special and so so simple, they’re the activities where you’re allowed to be Peter Pan and never grow up.

Toddler P and I went for fish and chips and to watch the planes take off. If you’re from my local area then there’s no doubt that you probably did this growing up, headed up to Murgatroyds Fish and Chip Shop then sat and scoffed them in the car on a track road over looking the runway watching planes disappear off into the distance. Today was a little bit of a disaster or had the potential to be as we got caught in the rain waiting in the socially distant take out queue, then struggled to find the spot I remembered from my childhood only to finally get settled and parked up and discover that there weren’t any flights. Luckily some were due and it was a good job we’d arrived early as the car parking spots soon filled up. We jumped out and watched 3 fly and rumble over us, both me and little P squealing as they felt close enough to reach out and touch above our heads! I was as giddy as she was, it was brilliant.

Being a mum has reminded me and reconnected me with so many childhood activities that I’ve just lost touch with as I entered teenage years, university studies and adulthood. And it’s a shame I’ve let it happen really because there’s so much that’s still fun and exciting as an adult. Bubbles, I mean there’s still something a little fascinating about them, it’s therapeutic blowing and chasing bubbles in the garden. Seeing the sea as you get to the seaside, running bare foot in the sand. Seeing stars in the sky and blowing out candles on a birthday cake. It’s simple fun things that can make the mundane day to day routines of adult life more fun.

Some one recently took the mickey out of me for saying I enjoyed a bubble bath, telling me I wasn’t a kid. No, I’m not and yes we all have to grow up one day, but what’s the rush? Yes, I want Toddler P to grow up well rounded, mature and responsible, but I also want her to enjoy the small simple things in life and most of all, enjoy her childhood for as long as possible as much as possible, even into adulthood. I think we put too much pressure on ourselves to race through life for the next big thing, when we need to sometimes, slow down, take stock and enjoy the little moments.

I guess that’s what part of being Peter Pan is all about, not literally never growing up but not loosing sight of the things that are fun, the little magic moments that cause laughter, squeals and excitement. Like paddling in the sea, spotting the planes in the sky and enjoying the magic of snow falling, Santa coming or a good Disney story! Life’s too short, let’s not grow up to quick.