# 8 Things Your Toddler Can Teach You About Life

- Link: https://stayathomemum.com.au/family/kids/8-things-your-toddler-can-teach-you-about-life/
- Published: 2017-08-09T08:00:29+10:00
- Author: Clare Whitfield

## _Toddlers might not, at first, seem like a great place to get your life wisdom._

After all, you’ve taught them more or less everything they know, except those bad
habits that **clearly** came from someone else.

Still, what about the things that toddlers do naturally, all on their own? As it
turns out, there are some lessons there for us all.

[[

## **1. Make Exercise Fun**

Give most toddlers the opportunity to run around in circles like tiny crazy people(
which they are) and they’ll gladly play along. To the average toddler, energy is
easy to come by, and they’re always ready for more exercise, more moving, more dancing,
more fun. As an adult though, you probably struggle to move, and have to force yourself
to get out there and go for a walk or a run. So why not approach exercise from a
toddler’s perspective. Pick something that you actually enjoy, not just something
you ‘should’ be doing because it’s good for you. Get into something you love, and
then love doing it.

[via GIPHY](http://giphy.com/gifs/afv-funny-fail-lol-l2QZX9mMfuht3TVx6)

## **2. Be Emotionally Open**

Toddlers aren’t worried about hiding their emotions. If they’re happy, they’ll laugh.
If they’re angry, they’ll throw a tantrum. If they’re sad, they’ll cry. Emotionally,
it’s all out there for toddlers. Adults have a much more guarded approach to their
emotions. We aren’t saying you should be yelling and screaming at people who annoy
you, but when it comes to being comfortable to show happiness and sadness without
worrying about what people think? Well, that’s definitely worth doing. Have a cry
if you’ve had a horrible day, or talk to someone about how you’re actually feeling,
instead of locking it up inside.

[via GIPHY](http://giphy.com/gifs/6Q3M4BIK0lX44)

## **3. Learn To Say No**

If you have a toddler, and their favourite word isn’t _NO_�yet, it will be soon.
When toddlers learn to say the word “no”, they use that ability frequently. Everything
can be answered with this simple phrase, in your toddler’s mind anyway. Well, we
aren’t saying that you should scream “NO” when people greet you in the morning, 
but learning to say no is something we often lose as adults. Worried about being
rude or negative, we often fail to refuse tasks that we don’t want to do, causing
even more stress. So next time someone asks you to do something you don’t want to
do, politely decline. You’ll have more time for you, and your no-loving toddler.

[via GIPHY](http://giphy.com/gifs/worry-about-yourself-l41lWAzQv8Fe4fEti)

## **4. Love Your Body**

It seems that, in a toddler’s mind, any opportunity wearing clothes is an opportunity
for freedom wasted. That’s why they seem so eager to lift up their shirts and skirts
in supermarkets, or simply strip off entirely at any moment. Why? Well, toddlers
just love the skin they’re in, and you should too. We get caught up in this idea
of body perfection, but you always look better in something you’re comfortable in.
Try and be comfy in your own skin a little more, not by flashing your friends and
neighbours, but by accepting what you’ve got and having a bit of fun with it.

[via GIPHY](http://giphy.com/gifs/liFaAWEOa1uKc)

### _**Next Page: More�Things Your Toddler Can Teach You About Life**_

![author avatar](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/
12/clare_whitfield_profile.webp?quality=80&ssl=1)

 Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

 Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical
home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney,
she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school 
age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience
in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

 [See Full Bio](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/) [  ](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/)