Oh, Kids

I love kids. I feel completely at ease hanging out around kids, playing with them. I attribute this to my early years in Bountiful, Utah. My family lived in a condominium, and I was not very socially adept. So, I didn't make very many friends at school, and the kids in the other condominiums were usually younger than me. I hung out with many young kids, partly for their gaming consoles or cool Pokémon cards and mostly because I wanted friends.

Okay, I don't want to get caught diving into speculation about my psychological makeup and influences from that time. That's not what I meant to do; it comes naturally.


(Switching tracks; here are two pictures of little children. And a couple animals.)

Kids... are wonderful. The cousins on my mother's side are around my age, fun to get along with. I have many good memories of sleepovers with my older cousins, board games and football in front yards. I am, however, the oldest grandchild on my father's side, which gives me many young cousins to play with! I have wrestled with all the younger ones many, many times, had pillow fights, ridden four-wheelers, just hung out with them, etc. I've also had some great neighbors here in Orem. The Medlyn family had some young kids that I loved to hang out with, but they've moved to Lehi since. Right now I get to hang out with the current neighbor boys, the Ellingsons. The youngest is such a joy to spend time with, to interact with, or even just to watch. He is getting so much more verbal! Oh! And I can't forget my ex-girlfriends two youngest sisters. Such innocent, bright souls... my problems and difficulties melt away when I spend time with these girls, or any young kids.

I guess there really is something angelic about them. They are fresh from Heaven, after all.

"Not in entire forgetfulness, 

And not in utter nakedness, 

But trailing clouds of glory do we come 

From God, who is our home: 

Heaven lies about us in our infancy!"

That is a segment from a poem by William Wordsworth. Most sites titled it as "Ode on Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood". In any case, the innocence, purity, and energy of youth always brightens my day. They are also examples to us older people, and treasured by Heavenly Father. Here are some scriptures I found with a quick search in LDS View. (an excellent way to navigate and search the scriptures. LDS View main page)

• And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not only men but women also. Now this is not all; little children do have words given unto them many times, which confound the wise and the learned.

(Book of Mormon | Alma 32:23‎)‎

• Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 9:22‎)‎

• And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things. And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 11:37–38‎)‎

(This is important enough for us that we nearly have the exact same scripture twice.)


Someday, I hope to have children of my own. I hope to be a father that my children can look up to, a father after the manner of my dad, and my grandpa, and essentially our Father in heaven. What an incredible task it will be, to have such a responsibility. I take comfort in this quote from one of the greatest men I know about:

"You cannot expect to do it alone. You need heaven’s help in rearing heaven’s child—your child, who is also the child of his or her Heavenly Father....
"O God, our Eternal Father, bless the parents to teach with love and patience and encouragement those who are most precious, the children who have come from Thee, that together they might be safeguarded and directed for good and, in the process of growth, bring blessings to the world of which they will be a part." - Gordon B. Hinckley


So, there is my post of gratitude for children, and how much of a blessing they are. May we all have more gratitude and love and respect for the young children, no matter what mischief and trouble they may make. Please comment if you have anything to add, or if you've ever heard a little child "confound the wise and the learned."

The video below is titled "Kid History - Episode 1", by BoredShortsTV. These little kids are fantastic, and I think the creators are geniuses.