Childhood, or as we call it, the golden period of one’s life. From an adult’s point of view, being a child is such a privilege — no worries, no work, no deadlines, no tension at all. All children have to do is eat, sleep, study and repeat. Especially during the school age, we don’t realise how beautiful and important that part of our life is, or how much it will affect our future.

The bonds we make during our school life are pure, as they are made without judgement or hope of favours. They are just made on the basis of liking someone and being friends. We share things, lunches, homework, make big plans and play small mischiefs, like cheating in exams or hiding the duster so the teacher can’t continue the class.

Standing outside the class as punishment sometimes feels bad, but if your friends are punished with you, it instantly becomes fun. We never realised that the weight of those heavy bags was actually the lightest weight we would ever carry in life.

As children, we also wished to grow up quickly and leave school, thinking that adulthood would be fun. We thought adults could do whatever they wanted, wear no uniforms (which we always hated) and go out with friends whenever they liked. On the other hand, adults wish they could be children again because they are tired of responsibilities, facing the real world and dealing with problems that drain them out.

So my advice to all children is to enjoy every moment of your school life to the fullest. Make mistakes, have fun, make friends and always keep those friends close, for they are the real treasures school gives you.

Most importantly, always respect your teachers. They are the ones who shape your future and help you become a better person. I know sometimes we don’t like our teachers because they scold us, give us lots of homework or are very strict, but they do this for a reason. Teacher don’t hate you — they are just doing their job of teaching, and maintaining discipline and decorum in school.

You little warriors will grow into adults, whether you want to or not. But if you enjoy this phase of your life, you’ll have countless cheerful memories to hold on to. You’ll have stories to tell your future friends or even your children. Never forget to love and respect your parents. They do so much to make your life easy and to give you comforts they themselves never had. Don’t take your parents for granted.

The most important message I can give to all my little friends is to live your life to the fullest, but make sure no one is getting hurt by your mischief. If someone is hurt, then Allah can be upset with you. So always try to be kind and bright.

Published in Dawn, Young World, September 27th, 2025