Innocent Until…

I am dreading the day my little ones lose their innocence. I find it to be the sweetest part of childhood. I watch it with admiration and even a little envy. I realized this the other day when I took my kids to the circus and brought my nephew along. My kids were having a ball. My nephew, who is 5-years-old like my daughter, wanted so much to enjoy it, but I saw him looking around from time to time as if he was too embarrassed to enjoy something so childish. I was almost sad for him, and then I realized he probably gained that awareness from his two older brothers, and it made me a little scared. My daughter will be starting school this year, and may be influenced by the other kids around her to lose her innocent view of life and love of all things childish.

One thing that I have found to help my kids maintain their “innocence” besides the obvious watching what they are exposed to, is sharing their excitement for the “innocent” experiences. My kids never wonder if Yo Gabba Gabba, or the circus is cool, because I know words to some of their favorite songs, and I participate when the ringmaster says “Say it with me! Zip, zam, zoom!” When my three year old ecstatically tells me what just happened on Little Bill or Sesame Street, even though I was sitting right next him through whole show, I give him my undivided attention, and ask him more questions about what he just saw. I believe that our kids take cues from us. Perhaps if they think we find something too boring or trivial, they may believe that the same is true for them as well.

Childhood is once in a lifetime. I am trying to help my kids hold on to theirs as long as they can. What kinds of things do you do to keep your kids innocent?