We were sitting in the family room. My kids had finished their first day
back at school after the holiday break, and my wife was working late.
Michael, my six-year-old son, was finger knitting. Sarah, my
eight-year-old, was knitting a scarf. I sat near them and folded
clothes. Occasionally someone would share something that had happened
during the day, but otherwise it was quiet.
And as we sat there doing our chores, I began to appreciate this time we
were spending together. The orgy of presents, travel, and Christmas
cookies was over. The routines and rhythms of the work week had begun
again. My kids needed structure as badly as I did. We were getting it by
being together in this quiet, simple way.
As I sat there folding clothes, I marvelled at how little we really
needed to be happy. It was quite enough just to be together as we did
our work. Many of the gifts my kids received for Christmas were already
put away. As often happens, there was a brief flurry of excitement when
the gifts were first discovered. Shortly after, the thrill of ownership
faded away. And while my kids may be too young to understand it, I’d
like them to know that possessions don’t really make them happy. When
you live in a consumer-driven and materialistic society, it’s just the
message you receive. As author Christopher Lasch states, “A mass
advertising culture creates consumers who are perpetually unsatisfied,
restless, anxious, and bored.”
I’d like my kids to know someday that the pursuit of possessions has
made more people unhappy than happy, and that it actually ends up
limiting their freedom of choice in the world. I’d like them to know
that possessions can keep them focused on their own self-interest,
rather than focusing on how they can benefit others. And I’d like them
to know that one of the keys to a happy life is the pursuit of simple
pleasures, which, in today’s day and age, is an act of courage.
I thought about all of the possessions I had somewhere in the house. How
many of them had I really used in the last 6 months? How many of them
really had an impact on my life or made me happy beyond the first few
minutes of receiving them?
Only a handful.
And as I sat there with my kids enjoying our time together, I sensed
that more trips to the Goodwill were in order, as well as a greater
commitment to simple living in our family. John Burroughs, the
nineteenth-century naturalist, observed that “the number of things we
can really make our own is limited. We cannot drink from the ocean be we
ever so thirsty. A cup of water from the spring is all we need.”
As parents in America today, we’re often made to feel thirsty. We’re
made to feel as though we need to provide the latest gadgets for
ourselves and for our children. And it seems that at the rate we’re
going, these gadgets will cost us most of our money and most of our
time.
Don’t be fooled. All that you and your kids really need is a “cup of
water from the spring.” It may not impress your neighbours, but it will
help your family to feel happier.
It may even change your attitude about folding clothes!
Mark Brandenburg MA, CPCC, coaches busy parents by phone
to balance their life and improve their family relationships.
For a FREE twenty minute sample session by phone, ebooks and
courses for fathers, articles, and a FREE weekly newsletter, go to
http://www.markbrandenburg.com
or email him at mark@markbrandenburg.com
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/
Dressing Girls For School
I have spoken to so many parents who tell me it is a monumental task to get
their younger daughters ready for school in the morning. Unless your daughter
has only one set of clothes to wear, she probably wants to change her outfit
three times before choosing the one she will "agree" to wear to school each day.
Here's how we solved the problem in our family...
3 Easy Ways To Make An Awesome Playroom
Are you irritated every time you walk past your kids playroom? Paper here, toys
there, the floor is strewn with stuff that you can't even guess what it is! Most
of us feel a whole lot better when things are organized. Is it natural to be
neat and tidy or is it a skill that must be learned? We'll let you worry about
that question but we'll give you a few simple ideas on how to make that playroom
fun again.
What should you expect at 6 weeks, 6 months or 1 year? We provide useful
milestones and developmental stages so that you can keep an eye on your
baby's development in the first year. Baby Stages
Ideas For Sharing Stories
With Children
This two-part article discusses the ways in which stories and
storytelling play an important role in children's lives. Techniques are
offered for using stories to help develop children's verbal skills and
imaginations. This is part one.
Who Owns The Problem; Parent or Child?
It is tempting for parents to assume ownership and responsibility for everything that goes on in the life of their child. However, when the parent jumps in too soon to solve the problem or give the answer, the child never learns to trust his own judgment and become a critical thinker.
Parenting - Making A Schedule This article on the benefits of scheduling your day as a parent
really struck home with me. It took me a while to work this out for
myself when I had young children at home, and I wish I had done so - and
benefited from the much calmer household that was the result - sooner!
