重拾欢乐旧时光：孩子教给我们的15个快乐小秘诀

Every morning my daughter and I go for a twenty-minute walk to my workplace. For me, in those twenty minutes, I’m in transit. For my toddler, it’s nothing less than a parade of flowers, fire trucks, pebbles, and friendly folk.

每天清晨，我的女儿都跟我一起步行20分钟去我工作的地方。对于我来说，在那20分钟里我只不过是在路上。但对于我那刚会走路的小孩儿，这完全就是一场热闹的游行，队伍中有鲜花、消防车、鹅卵石和友好的人们。

One morning, I noticed that a sweet old man, amused by my toddler, was watching her with a smile on his face. As we crossed his path, he chuckled to himself, “Children have all the fun!”

一天早上，我注意到一位和蔼的老人，他被我的小孩儿逗乐了，面带笑容地注视着她。当我们走过他跟前的小路时，他自己咯咯笑起来，“孩子们总是那么快乐！”

He’s right. They do. And clearly, I’m missing out! My age is no good reason for me to miss out on this street party!

他说得对。孩子们是这样的。很明显，我正错失了这些快乐！就算我年纪大了，我也没有理由错过这街头派对！

Now, I try to remember that fun is a perspective. It’s not a force bound within the walls of amusement parks. The days that I remember this, it makes all the difference.

现在我努力去记住：乐趣是一种思考问题的角度。它不是被游乐场的墙壁束缚、身在其中才能感受到的力量。我记住了这一点，我的生活变得完全不同。

Line-ups are a great way to make new friends. Dusting is a contemporary dance. My world is a playground.

排队成了结交新朋友的一个好方法。打扫卫生的同时可以跳个舞。我的世界就是个游乐场。

We are born with a complete understanding of fun, which seems to fade over time and conditioning. I say we learn a thing, or 15, from children.

我们天生就完全理解什么是乐趣，但是乐趣似乎随着时间和周围条件而逐渐消失了。我认为我们应该从孩子们那里学习一件事，或者说是15件事。

1. Be where you are.

活在当下。

Kids are really good at enjoying the moment. Adults are addicted to thinking about all the things we have to do tonight, tomorrow, next week. Where you are is where the fun is. Nowhere else.

小孩子真的很善于享受当前的时刻。成年人则沉溺于思考我们必须在今晚、明天、下周做的所有事情。当下就是乐趣所在。别无他处。

2. Learn something new.

学习新鲜事物。

From new words to new facial expressions, kids are constantly mastering new skills. Make it a point to continuously be learning something, anything. Aren’t we the ones who tell our kids that “learning is fun”?

从新单词到新表情，小孩子在不断掌握新的技能。努力做到持续不断地学习，学习任何事物都可。不正是我们告诉孩子们“学习很有趣”的吗？

3. Get out of your comfort zone.

走出舒适区。

Toddlers take risks all day long. As we mature, we tend to stay in our safe place. Your day will be so much more exciting if you gather the guts to wear hot pink pants.

蹒跚学步的小孩儿一整天都在冒险，而我们这些已经成熟的人却倾向于呆在我们的安全地带。如果你鼓起勇气穿上热辣的粉色短裤，那么你的这一天会更加令人兴奋。

4. Find the beat.

寻找节奏。

While adults would find a car alarm loud and obnoxious, my daughter dances to the rhythm of the beat. Seek out the symphony in the background noise.

成年人或许觉得汽车警报喧闹、令人讨厌，然而我的女儿却随着警报的节奏翩翩起舞。挖掘周围噪音中的交响乐曲吧。

5. Smile 27 times more than you do.

微笑增加27倍。

I’ve heard that children smile 400 times a day and adults, only 15. Smiling is the catalyst to having fun.

我听说孩子每天笑400次，而成年人却只有15次。笑是开心的催化剂。

6. Notice nature.

关注自然。

Every child is in awe of ants, birds, and dandelions. At some point, we become creatures of the concrete jungle. Allow yourself to be enamored by Mother Nature.

每个孩子都敬畏蚂蚁、小鸟和蒲公英。不知从何时起，我们变成了水泥丛林里的生物。让自己沉浸在大自然之中吧。

7. Climb things.

攀登。

As soon as they discover their legs, kids start climbing everything. There is something about being above ground level that is somewhat thrilling. Climb a rock. Climb a tree. You’ll feel like the master of the universe.

一旦小孩子发现自己双腿的用途，他们就开始攀爬各种东西了。高出地平面这件事有那么点儿令人兴奋。爬上块石头，爬上颗树，你会感觉自己好似宇宙万物的主宰。

8. Embrace your “flaws.”

欣然接受你的“缺陷”。

Being self-conscious is stifling. My toddler brings more attention to her Buddha belly than I ever would. But she also has more fun.

有自知之明会压抑个性的发挥。我的宝贝会比我更关注她的胖嘟嘟的小肚子，但她还是有那么多快乐。

9. Use your imagination.

发挥你的想象力。

A child can get lost in her make-believe world for hours. Imagine riding an elephant in Thailand. Or running a marathon on the Great Wall of China. You’ll have so much fun pretending that you might want to make it a reality—which leads to more fun than you can imagine.

小孩子会好几个小时沉浸在虚幻的世界里。想象在泰国骑上一头大象，或是在中国长城跑马拉松。设想你或许要把它变成现实，你会有非常多的乐趣——这本身就比你想象的更加有趣。

10. Be unpredictable.

难以捉摸。

There is no knowing what a kid will get up to next. Step out of your ordinary routine and you’ll be surprised at how liberated you’ll feel.

人们不知道小孩子下一步要做什么。打破常规，你会惊讶地发现自己感觉多么自由啊。

11. Hand out high-fives.

举手击掌。

For no reason at all, kids hand out high-fives like they just won gold at the Olympics. Next time you hear some good news, give somebody a high-five. It feels good to get pumped about the little things.

没有任何原因，小孩子会互相举手击掌，好像他们刚刚赢得了奥运金牌。下一次你听到好消息的时候，跟某人举手击掌吧。为点滴小事而兴奋感觉很好。

12. Slow down.

放慢速度。

Children know how to take their sweet time. Allow yourself enough time to enjoy living. Rushing sucks all the fun out of the day.

孩子们知道如何度过甜蜜的时光。给自己充分的时间去享受生活吧。行事匆匆会毁掉一天中所有的乐趣。

13. Create.

创造。

Paint, draw, build, write. Kids clearly enjoy those activities. Fun is being in your creative element.

粉刷、绘画、建筑、写作。小孩子显然很喜欢那些活动。快乐存在于你的创造元素中。

14. Get dirty.

弄脏自己。

Kids aren’t afraid to experience life hands on. Get right in there. Make sandcastles. Turn up a log.

小孩子不怕自己动手体验生活。来吧。堆沙堡，转圆木吧。

15. Break the rules.

打破规矩。

Fun doesn’t follow all the rules. Neither do kids. If it doesn’t hurt, go for it! Leave those pretty Christmas lights up year-round.

快乐并不总是符合规矩的。对小孩子来说也是。如果无伤大雅，那就来吧！一整年都开着那些漂亮的圣诞彩灯吧。