Learning from the Kids!

Yesterday I had the opportunity to play street football. Nothing fancy though, just me and some kids of age 10-12 of the neighborhood. When I joined the game, the kids let me in because of my age seniority but on the other hand the kids left out a 9 year old kid because he was small. He looked sad and I told him to substitute me after 5 minutes. He took the offer graciously. Then, we won the 2 a side football match. Well, it was not exactly 2 a side because there were 5 kids on the opposing team!

We played for half an hour and I played with them like equals. Except for the part that I was gigantic compared to the kids, I was an equal in the field. Today, when I coming home from some errand there were three kids going to school with their moms and they had the biggest grins in their face.

I asked them why they were smiling and their answer was that they were happy to see me. I was the only guy who treated them as an equal and not as a kid. I was the only adult who treated them with respect. Even though that was on the field, I had treated them as an equal and that was more awesome than hitting 9 goals in my goal post!

This has got me thinking that we should learn from kids and their innocence. We are not treated with respect by our adults and we do the same with our juniors. This continues the vicious that has continued for ages. Why should we let seniority determine respect? Seniority doesn't mean experience always!

I have felt the disrespect from my seniors. Whether it is my parents, teachers, sisters, brothers and cousins I have had the same problem from all. So have they? Each and everyone of this society is a victim of this. How do we stop it then? Since, everyone is the victim and the perpetrator we can all share the same feelings, can’t we?

Yes, this can be solved via sharing and discussing. We can ask a kid if we are embarrassing him or her by asking. Did I disrespect you? Just this question would suffice our bullying behavior at times. We may be bullying without knowing. So, sharing would solve this problem in my view!