Concerning Kids – Full of energy, they keep going
Children have endless energy, to exhaust their fathers. Photo AFP, Prakash Mathema
Christian Life
I remember that tired father walking in reverse with his toddler on a moving walkway in the airport departure hall. Well, the dad was walking while the toddler kept running. People were smiling because they knew that the father was trying to tire the toddler before boarding the plane.
The kids are little bundles of seemingly never-ending energy. They are like a different species that do not want to sleep and are always up for something fun. When I was little, I could not understand my parents, who sent all kids for an afternoon sleep during a family vacation. Sure, we were not sleeping, but my parents were. I could not get why they were always tired. Until now, 25 years later.
There are striking differences between children and adults; the first difference is in energy level. Some comprehensive studies have noted that toddlers expend a stunning 50 per cent more energy in one day than adults, adjusted for body size. They consume and use up power even faster than pregnant women and teenage boys. But adults in their 30s and 40s often feel like they slow down; because hormonal changes, stress, disease, growth, and activity levels influence their energy.
Doll's dress
Adults always need help understanding how active kids are and letting them be that active. But that also requires a vast input because, without guidance, kids let their energy out in wild creative ways, like: cutting their own hair, painting the sofa, messing up with flour, cutting the doll’s dress out of the curtains, etc. Everybody knows silence is never a good sign when your child is active. When the parent stays with the child 24/7, he might feel trapped because of tiredness and exhaustion.
I like the old proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”. That means that an entire community must provide for and interact positively with children for those children to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment. Parents need others when raising a child.
My friend has a huge family, and she invites them to spend time with her little one. All those aunts and uncles divide the week to help to raise the child. It might sound unrealistic in our individualistic societies. Still, it is a great way to strengthen the family and to create space for a kid to interact with more people and to grow as active as she is.
Little ones tire me a lot with their energy, high shouting, and non-stop activities. But they also teach me to love life, be positive, live in the present, and be adventurous. They are different, but they are a huge blessing. And they won’t be active that long; someday, they will also turn into adults who prefer a coffee talk at the table rather than running wild in the park.
About the author
Anna lives in Kyiv and runs an Evangelistic Children's Club. She is a Children's Ministry Coordinator in Eurasia with the organisation OneHope. Anna studied theology and is a guest teacher at the Kyiv Theological Seminary.
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