The Day My Child Taught Me the Importance of Experiencing Things with All Five Senses
Mom, I want to try playing in the rain.
It was a summer vacation day with strong wind and rain due to a typhoon.
My eldest son looked out the window and said this to me while I was working.
When I glanced outside, the trees were swaying violently, as if they were headbanging.
Having gained a fair amount of life experience, I hesitated to go outside with the children in such bad weather.
Wouldn't we get soaked even if we wore raincoats...?
Rather negative thoughts crossed my mind.
I'm working right now.
We'll probably get wet.
Cleaning up after we get home will be a hassle.
The moment I thought about saying no, my eldest son let out a quiet remark.
Who decided that we aren't allowed to play on rainy days?
......??
Indeed, who decided that?
In the first place, why is there this atmosphere that playing outside on a rainy day is a no-go?
I used to work in childcare.
Even though I know the joy of playing with children on rainy days, why didn't I pass that on to my own children?
I want them to experience the sensation of playing in the rain.
I want them to savor the rain with all five senses.
OK! Let's go play outside!
My eldest son was overjoyed, and my second son followed along, though he didn't quite understand why.
We all put on raincoats and boots and dashed outside.
In conclusion,it was incredibly fun!
We jumped in puddles,
caught the rain in our palms,
and scooped up and threw mud from the puddles.
We played until we were soaking wet and covered in mud.
We were serious about it.
Not just the children, but I, in my late thirties, was too.
Even though it was midsummer, we were so drenched that we felt cold from the rain.
Enjoying things purely is important.
I realized that while adults tend to think ahead, sometimes it's okay to just pursue the fun.
As expected, the children seemed to enjoy the extraordinary experience.
I didn't know it could rain this hard!
When the wind blows, the rain splashes right onto my face!
If you turn your back to the wind, your face doesn't get wet!
They seemed to have many realizations.
I was taught by my own children as well.
I reaffirmed that experiences that enrich a child's sensibility, like playing in the rain while feeling the real rain, are right there within reach.
Also,
The idea that 'you can't play outside on a rainy day' might just be a preconceived notion.I realized that if you look at things with a broader perspective, you can find different ways to enjoy them.
I reflected on how my mind was mostly occupied with anxiety because work was piling up during the children's summer vacation.
I am truly grateful to my children for taking me outside.
※Of course, cleaning up the mud-covered clothes was a bit of a hassle🤫
Even so, it was a moment I can look back on as fun.
Value the real experience
Try it first
Experience it with all five senses
Be conscious not to be too bound by preconceived notions
These are the things I learned from playing outside on a rainy day.
It seems like these lessons could apply to work as well.
I will apply what I learned from my children to my future as a mother.