Curiosity, Through a Child’s Eyes

“The scissors company lied to us. The cut isn’t very exact.” This insightful comment was made during our no-sew blanket event. One thing I have always noticed at each KCT event is that the high school leaders always have a smile on their faces as they listen to kids, because it’s like a breath of fresh air. Each word that comes out carries a weight of curiosity, creativity, and comedy. 

I want to share one of my favourite moments during a KCT event, because it sparked something within me. Parents, brace yourself, because this is a classic: the never-ending “why?” Whether it’s about the precision of a pair of scissors cutting a cloth, or the oddly shaped leaf on the floor, the why question is one of my favourites because it pushes them to find out more – and pushes me to find ridiculous answers. 

This made me realise something, I don’t ask myself “why” enough. When do we just accept that the leaf is odd and leave it on the floor? It was a late-night itch that I couldn’t scratch. 

The next day, I had a lesson with my Spanish teacher. She was telling me that some Spanish-speaking countries do not use a certain grammar concept. Normally, I would have just smiled and laughed, but I thought, ‘Why?’ Before I knew it, I had said it out loud. I learned something interesting that day, something I would have never bothered to Google if I hadn’t asked that question.

Children are creative beings because they push the boundaries of what they know. Each second of their lives is spent finding out more and exploring. I think a lot of people forget to push themselves in that way; I am certainly no exception.

These moments, passing conversations with children, taught me something important. Sometimes, thinking like a kid puts things into a different perspective: one that forces you to learn.