The other day I realized that my kids have been dealing with this pandemic much better than I have.

I decided to watch them with intention.

I was determined to find out exactly what made my kids so good at this quarantine thing.

This is what I discovered:

1) They wake up with excitement every day. They don’t think about how today is going to be the same as yesterday or the day before that or the day before that. The idea of sameness doesn’t seem to bother them and they greet each day like they’ve never seen that day before. Same place, same toys, but new moments. It’s what carries them joyfully from their bed to their breakfast.

2) They know how to get things off their chest. They don’t allow things to fester inside of them for long! They will tell you exactly how they are feeling, when they are feeling it, without any fear of hurting someone else’s feelings. If they feel you’re being unfair, you’ll know about it. If they dislike how you repeatedly give them the blue plate instead of the green plate, you’ll know about that too. Nothing is extraordinarily explosive because mini explosions happen regularly.

3) They bring a sense of novelty to everyday things. They know that reading with a flashlight feels like an adventure. They know that eating under the table (rather than at it!) is a real thrill. They know you can bring an old toy to a new room and find instant pizzazz. They use the power of perspective to add magic to familiarity.

4) They know how to make use of a space. They make play areas out of areas that are not traditionally meant for play. They use the stairs, window ledges, dusty corners, bathroom drawers, and anywhere else you’d be surprised to find them. You might think the house is feeling small, but the little ones know how to make a space work.

5) They allow their passions to guide their day. They don’t sit around thinking about what they need to achieve each day. They don’t judge the goodness of their day by how much they achieved either. They think about what they love most and they do it. And they do that thing until they decide to move onto something else they love. And they do this all day long until bedtime.

I think the kids are onto something.

And I think it's time to quarantine just like them!