Grown-up life has its positives, but you can get trapped in a never-ending loop of adult responsibilities. What helps is if, instead of rushing through everything, you slow down, check in with your inner child, and reintroduce wonder, whimsy, and curiosity back into your life.

To give you some inspiration, here at Bored Panda, we compiled this list of photos that show men behaving in incredibly childish and playful ways. They’re witty. They’re wholesome. And they’re a reminder to take life less seriously.

#1 My Husband Was So Excited About His Custom Card

#2 My Friend Convinced Her Husband To Go To Wine And Palette With Her

#3 I Told My Boyfriend The New Puppy Wasn’t Allowed In The Bed

One of the biggest advantages that kids have over adults is that they’re constantly curious about the world.

As Jeff Wetzler, Ed.D., explains in a post on Psychology Today, curiosity tends to fade with age. However, it doesn’t have to if you stay open to learning from other people, question your assumptions, and look for role models. On the flip side, your curiosity fades when you think you already know everything or face social pressure.

By embracing curiosity, you get access to new perspectives, improve your relationships, and learn more deeply. “Curiosity isn’t just for children. It’s what fuels innovation, builds deep relationships, and makes life more exciting,” he states.

According to Wetzler, curiosity is contagious. So, if you want to rediscover it, you should look for other people, potential role models, who have already embraced curiosity.

“The important thing is that they [the role model] show us what curiosity can look like and give us a sense of permission to get more curious ourselves,” he writes on Psychology Today.

#4 This Is What True Love Looks Like. My Mom Taking A Picture Of My Dad Acting Like He’s Stuck In The Dryer

#5 My Uncle Who Just Finished An 8 Hour Weld Job On His Knees In Below Freezing Weather Just Sent Me This Photo

#6 Parents Got Snowed In At The Lake House. Mom Sent Me This And Said “Your Father And His Friend Are Out Of Control”

What’s more, you should try to treat other people as valuable sources of learning. The reality is, however, that people tend to ask fewer new questions about family, friends, or coworkers whom they have known for a long time.

They may have changed significantly over the months and years, but we might have missed this.

“To counter this, we can make a habit of asking deeper, open-ended questions—not just about facts, but about how others think and feel,” Wetzler suggests.

He adds that you should always ask yourself what you can learn from a specific person, so that you’re open to new insights.

#7 Took My Son To His Uncle Joe’s Today

#8 My Father Can Be Childish At Times

#9 My Brother Wanted To Measure The Trees In His Yard. This Is How Did He Did It

Another challenge to staying curious about the world is assuming that you already understand something so fully that you don’t need to question anything. Human beings tend to focus on familiar patterns that reinforce their views, while also overlooking gaps in their knowledge.

Meanwhile, it’s healthy to be slightly skeptical of your own knowledge. Question yourself. Ask yourself if you’re missing something, what things look like from alternate perspectives, and what else might be true.

#10 My Dad Is A Huge Golden State Fan, My Husband Is Not. This Is What My Father Woke Up To This Morning After A Raptors Win!

#11 I Let My Boyfriend Choose A Shower Curtain And Now We Have This

#12 Grown Man Got His Finger Stuck In The Wall At Chipotle

According to the Los Angeles Times, some of the main ways to teach yourself to generate childlike wonder include the following:

Look for awe in the mundane, as well as in surprising places
Allow yourself to be more playful and do the things that you love
Connect with people who brighten your life
Slow down and appreciate the things you take for granted
Create new daily rituals like ‘awe walks’ where you observe the beauty of the world around you and focus on the details, as well as the big picture

#13 So, My Uncle Got A Job Painting Bridges

#14 My Uncle Makes A Good Supervillain

#15 “I Can’t Even Watch Your Dad Sometimes” – The Text I Received From My Mom This Morning

Meanwhile, one of the biggest challenges of adulthood is becoming a parent. Even though raising kids is very much worth it, it can also be utterly exhausting and stressful. So, you might not have the mental or emotional capacity to behave in childlike ways.

As per psychotherapist and author Anna Mathur, if you’re struggling to find the joy in parenting, one of the things you can do is look for ‘glimmers’ in your daily life.

“Your day might not feel beautiful, but there will be beautiful things in your day. Sometimes we need to lower the bar for the things that bring us joy so that we’re able to experience glimmers of positivity more often,” she suggests.

#16 So, My Friend Made Life-Size Snorlax For My Husband

#17 My Father-In-Law Showing A Video To A Fish

#18 My Brother Sent This To Me And Said He Bought A “Hipster Drone”

Something else that you can focus on is developing a strong social network. You want to feel connected, like you’re a part of a larger community. It’s a fundamental human need. So, it helps to surround yourself with supportive people who are empathetic and understand what you’re going through.

In the meantime, it’s also healthy to accept the fact that things are simply difficult sometimes. Be honest with yourself about how you feel. You can be optimistic and hopeful and grateful, but you also can’t exist in a state of perpetual joy. “Choose to acknowledge how you feel without judgement, it’s simply a response to your circumstances,” Mathur says.

#19 Shout Out To My Brother For Replacing A Picture Of Jesus At My Parents’ House With A Picture Of Obi-Wan Kenobi As Portrayed By Ewan McGregor

Three months and counting without them noticing.

#20 My Brother In His New Apartment

#21 My Husband Is A Jerk

If you’re a parent, then you know that you’re not always in the mood to play with your children. And you might feel guilty about having those feelings.

As Lawrence J. Cohen, Ph.D., notes in a piece on Psychology Today, it’s “perfectly normal” for parents not to feel like playing all the time. It’s healthy to acknowledge these feelings and be true to your authentic self. Eventually, you’ll recharge and be playful once again.

According to Cohen, if parents feel playful, they should play with their kids. However, “if you aren’t 100 percent into it, but you can manage a bit of playfulness with a stretch, then give yourself a gentle push to take that stretch.”

But if you’re feeling anything but playful, you should be kind to yourself and acknowledge that you may be sad, tired, or anxious. “That acknowledgment might be all you need to be able to take a lighthearted step toward your child and let your forgotten playfulness arise in you.”

#22 I Am Very Talkative In The Mornings, And My Husband Is Not

He said, “This is Fort No Wife, when I’m in here, I need quiet”. Made me laugh so hard. Love this man.

#23 The Blanket That My Husband Got Me For Christmas. It’s His Face

#24 My Husband Decided My Beautiful Floral Guest Bathroom Needed More Wall Decor

However, if you’re still feeling overwhelmed, don’t force yourself to do anything. Be authentic to your emotions while also being kind to those around you.

“You can gently tell your children you need to get some feelings out before you are ready to play, then take care of those feelings by sharing them with a trusted friend, or by spending time with a journal or your own thoughts. Let the tears out. Exercise or get out in nature. Your child will be there ready to play once you are recharged and your playful heart is reawakened,” Cohen writes.

#25 That Time My Dad Used Pipe Cleaners For His School Picture

Didn’t really appreciate how funny this actually is at the time. Miss this dude.

#26 My Boyfriend And I Wanted To Commemorate Our First Joint Holiday Season Together

#27 My Boyfriend’s Grandfather Figured Out How To Use Photoshop And Has This Framed In His House

We’d like to hear your thoughts in the comments, dear Pandas! Which of these photos made you laugh the hardest? Meanwhile, which ones inspired you to be a bit more childish in your daily life?

How do you stay playful and curious even though you’ve got tons of adult responsibilities? How in tune with your inner child would you say that you are? Let us know in the comments at the bottom of this post.

#28 My Boyfriend’s Wallet

I just found this under his bed, and he told me there was exactly 4.69$ in it with only cents. I can’t stop laughing at it. The cat face is everything.

#29 After Years Of Pictures From Our Dad Posing With “Trophy” Deer, My Brother One-Upped Him With This Beauty

#30 My Aunt Asked My Uncle To Put Some Corn Down For The Deer

#31 All I Wanted Was One Nice Picture Of My Father

#32 When Your Husband Finds Your Hairbrush

#33 My Husband Started 17th Grade (His Masters Program) On The Same Day My Daughter Started 5th Grade. They’re Both Ecstatic About Back To School

#34 My Husband Got Me Good With A Rat He Made From Hair Clippings

#35 My Uncle Had A Great Time At The Vet The Other Day

#36 My Dad’s Meeting In The Streets

#37 I Like To Surprise My Roommate

#38 Guy Says He’s Made A Hobby Out Of Embarrassing His Daughter

#39 My Husband Left This In My Camera Roll For Me

#40 My Husband Always Does This Whenever I’m Having A Bad Day

#41 I Asked My Husband How Long The Kitchen Table Is. This Is What I Got

#42 My Husband, Everyone

#43 My Husband Got To Choose Our 5 Week Old’s Costume

#44 Photos I Take Of My Boyfriend vs. Photos He Takes Of Me

#45 My Boyfriend Promised Me A Fancy Dinner For Our Date

#46 On The Topic Of Ridiculous ID Photos, My Brother Likes To Make A Sport Out Of It As Well

#47 A Grown Man By Himself

#48 This Is How I’ve Chosen To Spend My Father’s Day

#49 My Grandpa Gave Me His Phone Because He Didn’t Want It Anymore. This Was The Only Picture Saved On It

#50 I Get An Email Every Time I Get A Package Delivered To My Apartment’s Mailroom. It’s Supposed To Be A Photo Of The Label

#51 This Person Has Been Walking Their Dog The Past Few Days In Our Neighborhood

#52 My Younger Brother, Who Moves Out In 2 Weeks, Tried To Make A Pizza

#53 Husband Says It’s A Navy Seal

#54 I Asked My Husband To Buy Some Cheap Plastic Drinking Cups So That We Don’t Always Have To Drink From Glass Cups And Potentially Break Them

This is what he bought… (and no, we don’t have kids).

#55 My Boyfriend Tried Drawing One Of This Coloring Book Pages

#56 Ever Want To Punch Your Little Brother Before?

This prick was holding this high over his head as I came down the escalator.
Edit: I’ve never been to rehab. I flew from Texas to California to visit him after his 4th or 5th deployment. He’s on active duty.

#57 My Brother-In-Law Meal Prepping Before He Cuts Hay

#58 So My Brother Drew Eyebrows On My Dog

#59 My Uncle In Scotland Sends Me A Calendar Every Year

#60 When Dad Gets Asked To Build A Wreath, He Expects A Little Respect After Building A Masterpiece

#61 My Friend’s Daughter Just Flew By Herself For The First Time. This Was How He Greeted Her At The Airport

#62 Father And Son Time. 30+ Years Apart

#63 My Offshore Working Radio Channel. Childish Sense Of Humor

#64 My Friend And His Roommates Took Their Christmas Card Photo Today

#65 This Guy Who Was Drunk Tried To Shazam In The Silent Disco

#66 My Brother Is Going Back To Work Today. I Hope He Makes Friends

#67 My Brother Teases Our Little Sister With Chalkboard Drawings Every Day. This Was Today’s

#68 My Christmas Gift From My Brother Was A Box, Within A Box, Within Another Box, Which Contained A Box, With Another Smaller Box, That Held In It

#69 My Dad Wrapped My Gift With Tinfoil And A Post It

They Say That Men Never Grow Up, And Here Are 69 Wholesome Photos That Prove It (New Pics)

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