Curious Minds

/ rothpoetry

Children are curious, you know

Until an adult tells them they are not to be

“Don’t touch that, you’ll get your hands dirty”

“I’ll tell you about that when you get older”

“It is not polite to ask such questions”

Curiosity silenced…

Lessons lost

***

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Today is Quadrille Monday at d’Verse. De asked us to write a Quadrille (exactly 44 words) using the word curious.

Join us at https://dversepoets.com

126 thoughts on “Curious Minds”

      • I think as adult we also limit our our curiosity and ability to give new things a try. We ourselves still obey those “don’t do” comments from our childhood. It becomes part of us, endemic in our psychological mindset. To regain that sense of imagination, creativity and curiosity we have to start with taking a step back as adults before we run free like we wanted to do as children. Only then Will we be able to encourage the following generations to be free in exploring their unencumbered curiosity.

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  7. So much AMEN to this. So sad. I just read a thing about kids relating to each other on that “weird” level, and how we “shush” it as they get older. I feel like if we still did this as adults, we might all relate better, and relax more. 😉 Stay weird, and stay curious. That’s my new mantra.

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  11. I used to ask questions that invited my parents to respond in nonsense, like: “What language do clouds speak, Mom? And how do the trees know what they’re saying? Or do they?”

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  12. Dwight I was blessed to be turned loose to be a feral child (i.e. neglected) and so saw more than any sheltered child, and not all of it good. I survived it. Where problems came in is when my folks tried to rein me in as a teenager. lol. There is a balancing act in there for parents, where they want to keep a kids’ curiosity alive but keep them safe also. I should ask my sons how good of a job I did with keeping it balanced for them… Good poem that has generated a lot of discussion.

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  14. As a parent and now grandparent, I have one cardinal rule, answer all questions for children, and reinforce their curiosity and creativity. I’m just saying.

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  23. A very thought provoking poem. Curiosity contained through frequent handholding would only create a line of stereotyped children in future.

    I really like the below lines by Kahlil Gibran (The prophet) – on children

    You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
         For they have their own thoughts.
         You may house their bodies but not their souls,
         For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
         You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
         For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

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  25. Those last two lines hit hard. Parents should encourage their children’s muses and curiosity; it leads them, drives them. Without it, where’s the point? Knowledge is a gift and with it, we’re able to make proper, informed decisions. As well, you never know what you can find. It may just drive a passion or dream, all stemming from initial curiosity. Beautifully and poignantly said, Dwight. It’s a powerful message.

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  34. Dwight, I think sometimes all too often we adults forget what curiosity means. If my mother were alive today, she would tell you I was Miss Curiosity 101. She eventually found out and accepted the fact that I could not be a quiet, non-questioning child. That only prepared her for my siblings who followed and whose curiosities were off the charts…in a good way of course! LOL 😜 Very good poem! 👍🏼

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