Kids can be ‘incredible’

I think kids are incredible — don’t you?

I love their energy, innocence, and their where-in-the-world-did-you-come-up-with-that ideas. Toss in their laughter, imagination, and transparency to be just who they are, and you’ve got one incredible person who will one day do very incredible things.

A couple of weeks ago I flew a few states over to visit two incredible kids: My “grandgirls.” The youngest is 6-months-old and cute as a button. The oldest is a 3-year-old. She’s cute as a button, too. She doesn’t call me Grandma; she calls me “My Friend.”

“I’m going to play soccer with My Friend. Then I’m going to make a pink cake with purple frosting with My Friend,” she bragged to her parents.

I think she’s incredibly charming — don’t you?

We ventured to a nearby park. We swung Double Dutch to the moon and touched the sky with our feet.

“Go higher!” she shouted. I loved her contagious belly laugh.

I think kids have an incredible zest for fun.

Then a little boy unabashedly approached her. “Do you wanna play?”

So they did.

I think kids are incredible at making friends.

When we finally left the park I carried her piggy-back. She wiggled and tried to hold her stuffed Captain Uniqua with her left hand while barely grasping my neck with her right.

“Don’t lean back — I might drop you,” I warned.

“Like this?” She leaned back.

“Yes — like that!”

We laughed.

I think kids are incredibly unafraid.

In the evening her parents left for a date night.

“Me and My Friend are having a sleepover!” she informed them.

We also read a pile of books. You’ve been around kids, so you know how it works; we read each one. Again.

I think kids are incredibly smart at stretching their bedtimes.

When it was time to kiss my grandgirls goodbye at the airport, I gently rubbed their cheeks once more before closing the car door. Bet you’ve done something like that, too.

Then it occurred to me on the flight home: Kids can give us a new take on life — if we let them. They give us their energy, innocence, and their where-in-the-world-did-you-come-up-with-that ideas. They toss in their laughter, imagination, and transparency to be just who they are. And one day, they will do very incredible things.

I think kids are incredible - don’t you?

Judy Halone can be reached at judy@judyhalone.com.

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