The Childhood Habits That Could Save Your Adult Relationships

When we were children, we loved with our whole hearts. We forgave quickly.

We asked questions without fear. We celebrated the smallest joys.

We said sorry first. And most importantly, we believed the best about people.

Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we lost these simple instincts, the ones that could actually save our relationships today.

This Children’s Day, it’s worth asking ourselves a gentle question:

What did we leave behind when we “grew up,” and what would happen if we brought some of those habits back into our love lives?

Because the truth is, dating today has become heavy. We overthink, we guard, we analyse, we look for red flags before we look for humanity. We fear getting hurt so much that we forget how to connect.

Maybe, just maybe, the antidote to modern dating is hidden in the very things we used to do naturally as kids.

1. The Gift of Curiosity

Children ask questions with genuine interest. Not to judge, not to trap someone, not to test compatibility, but to understand.

Adult dating, on the other hand, has turned into a questionnaire.
What do you do? What’s your salary? What’s your plan? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Somewhere, we stopped being curious about the actual person.

Healthy curiosity builds emotional connection. It makes your partner feel seen, heard, and valued. Instead of assuming intentions, ask. Instead of guessing feelings, check in. Curiosity is the simplest way to keep the relationship alive and warm.

This is why, even at UrbanMatch, our approach to matchmaking is built on real curiosity, helping people meet with openness, not with judgment.

2. The Ease of Apologising First

Children don’t hold grudges. If two kids fight at 10 AM, they’re playing together again by lunchtime.

But adults? We can stretch one small disagreement into a week of silent treatment.

We treat apologies like power moves. We wait for the other person to “realise.”

We wait for them to “make the first step.” Yet the most loving relationships work because someone chooses softness over ego.

Saying sorry first isn’t losing. It’s choosing connection over winning.

3. Celebrating the Small Things

Children cheer for everything.

Finished a drawing? Celebrate. Found a shiny pebble? Celebrate.

Someone shared a chocolate? Biggest celebration.

In adult relationships, we only celebrate milestones, anniversaries, promotions, and life events. But a real connection grows through small celebrations.

A good date.
A thoughtful message.
A moment of vulnerability.
A gesture of kindness.

Love deepens when you appreciate the little things, not just the big.

At UrbanMatch, even inside our exclusive membership, we see this again and again. Matches progress beautifully when people start noticing everyday joys rather than chasing grand gestures.

4. The Joy of Playfulness

Playfulness isn’t immaturity. It is emotional intelligence in action.

Children play to bond, not to impress. They laugh freely, and they express joy without filtering it.

Adults often lose this spark. Our dates become interviews. Our relationships become negotiations. Our conversations become task lists.

But playfulness is what keeps two people connected.
The inside jokes. The silly moments. The light teasing. The laughter for no reason.

Relationships don’t die because of a lack of love. They die when everything becomes too serious.

5. Believing the Best About People

Kids do not enter a friendship assuming betrayal. They trust first. They give the benefit of the doubt. They believe people are good until proven otherwise.

Adults do the opposite.
We assume the worst. We scan for flaws. We prepare for heartbreak before we prepare for love.

This fear-based dating leads to shallow connections, misinterpretations, and loneliness.

Believing the best about someone doesn’t make you naive. It makes you emotionally open, which is essential for a real connection.

So What Can We Learn From Children Today?

That love is simple when you let it be. That connection grows when the ego doesn’t interfere. That joy comes from curiosity, softness, playfulness, and trust.

​Modern dating doesn’t need to be cold or complicated. It needs to be human again.

And at UrbanMatch, this is what we’re constantly trying to build: a space where people can meet with heart, not fear. A space where intentional, values-driven dating feels natural, not exhausting. A space where real relationships grow, especially within our exclusive membership community.

Because if we can bring even a fraction of our childhood innocence back into our adult relationships, we won’t just date better.

We’ll love better.