10 reasons why childhood beats adulthood

Being a child was so much fun! Barbies, cartoons and no bills - what a life.

Ever wonder why children don’t have frown lines and why they always seem happy? Why are adults, so often on-edge and grumpy?

Caught in today's busy lifestyle with ever increasing responsibilities, grown-ups don’t have time to languish in the pleasures that once excited them as children. Regardless, reminiscing about the carefree days provides one with at least a nostalgic smile. I am sure every one of you probably has their own fond memories. However, here is my list of why I believe childhood is better than adulthood, and I hope it takes you back to the days when life was simpler. 

1. Making friends was easy:

It was as easy as going up to a person and simply asking him/her:

“Will you be my friend?”

If it was a yes, you owned a new slide buddy. Life even reverted to normal if the person in question refused. There was no need of trying to act “cool” or buying the latest iPod.  No fears, no tacky lines, and no grudges existed as they do now when you are a grown up.

2. Getting sick was so much fun:

A little tender cough and the rest of the day was spent in bed. You didn’t have to go to school and were lovingly fed warm soup. You passed the time by playing with dolls or coloring. Eventually, lots of kisses from mom would cure you of your fever and you would be skipping happily to school again.

Being sick as an adult is not nearly as much fun - say good bye to being pampered. Checking your BlackBerry for urgent emails, worrying about catching up on school assignments or work, picking up your children from school and so on plague adults even when they are sick.

3.Adventure is my middle name:

As children, we would always try out new things, and never feared how it would turn out. This resulted in great experiences and learning. Don’t tell me you never plucked a few leaves off a tree and crammed them in to your mouth just to see how they would taste?

Today, however, we are deathly afraid of doing something that doesn’t align with social norms. We hardly ever take risks and life is boring to say in a word.

4.Cartoon marathons were a serious business:

It was a sacred mission to stay awake and watch all favorite Disney animated movies with friends, no matter how sleepy we were. No one even dared to shut their eyes for a snooze lest they miss out on one of the precious scenes.

As an adult now, one is so tired after work that if he/she makes it awake till the intermission, it is considered to be an evening spent well.

5. Whatever you wear is trendy:

Whether you wear your favorite superman costume or dazzle yourself in a pink princess dress with a perfect tiara and crown, you rocked the party. The tension of going through fashion magazines, discovering new trends, and finding sizes to fit is only something adults must deal with.

6. Your toys were your prized possession:

Your toys were something you would die or kill for. Whether it was Lego set or your favorite Barbie, you would weave strategies to save them from your cousins, friends and neighbors. Adults, however, must deal with the never-ending responsibilities; is my car locked? Did I put the food in the refrigerator? Is my jewelry in the safe? The list is endless.

7. It was easy to invite friends:

All you needed on the menu was chocolate chip cookies, some more cookies, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and milk to serve to your friends.  Your friends would have a marvelous time at this feast and burp with contentment. The party would be full of smiles and giggles.

Now, to plan a party, one must consider the venue, vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, dessert, drinks, and a constant worry to keep the party within budget.

8. World in a tent:

Everyone would enjoy haphazard tents made out of bed sheets. You would make sure that it was the world's best tent, with all possible luxuries; Barbie dolls, dinky cars, cookies and the works. And no matter how small the tent was, there was always room for one more by just adding another linen.

Now building houses, is a big task for adults that takes ages and a whole lot of money. No matter how big your house is, you are constantly complaining of lack of space. Adding another linen just doesn’t cut it any more.

9. Travelling was easy:

As a child, you could take your bike or skateboard to reach to your nearest destination. Even in a car, all you had to do was sit back, and perhaps take a nap; when you woke up you would be at your desired destination. How simple is that?

It’s an entirely different story for adults. They have to worry about car insurance, GPS, bad traffic jams, parking tickets and so on. Gone are the days when you could relax in the back seat, playing with a G. I. Joe figurine.

10. No payments:

Children don’t have to pay for anything! School is free, food is free, mommy’s love is free, and candy is free. For adults? Well, somebody has to pay for all this free stuff.

These are a mere ten reasons chosen out of the thousands of reasons that everyone has for cherishing their beautiful childhood. Off course lives changes once we all grow up, but I guess the right kind of attitude will give you more chances of enjoyment and fun if you just give it a try. And till then, whenever you feel nostalgic or tired, just grab a pen and paper and take a trip down memory lane, penning down your own top ten reasons about why your childhood was something special.