Editor’s Note: This is a post in the series, Simplicity in Action.
Saida
When you first become a parent you have no clue what you are doing. You read a ton of parenting books that confuse you with conflicting views but you do the best that you can. As your kids grow and develop minds of their own you start implementing different discipline techniques to see which one works best (I’ll let you know when I figure it out)!
In thirteen years (and four kids) my parenting technique has changed and evolved. I’m much more relaxed at the park, for instance, and my kids are able to explore the apparatus more freely, without mummy waiting to catch them in case they fall. I also don’t freak out anymore if my little one gets a few grains of sand in his mouth.
Something that hasn’t changed over the years is my (what you could call stubborn) insistence on sticking to basic rules that I decided early on were worth implementing.
Here are some examples:
- Kids do not drink soda
- Small children do not eat candies (chocolate in moderation is okay)
- Small children do not eat entire bars of chocolate – they can share with siblings or with me 🙂
- No kid of mine gets fruit roll-ups in their lunch bags (even if all the other kids in the class do)
- We drink all natural fruit juices – not the sugar and water alternatives.
- Small kids go to bed by 7:30-8pm.
- Older kids go to bed by 10:30 ish even on week-ends.
- There is no need to buy video games
Other parents think I’m a strict parent (as do my kids). I used to think so too. Recently, I learned that there’s a name for my parenting technique. It’s called simplicity parenting, or simple parenting.
I LOVE that! Who wants to be a strict parent? I’d much rather be an advocate for simple parenting 🙂
The best part about my discovery is that I have learned that simplicity can be applied to other aspects of my life and it need not be limited to my parenting technique. I wish I had understood this sooner. But as the saying goes, better late than never!
Simple living has renewed my zest for life. I make conscious choices to live more in the moment and I make time to pause during the day to be grateful for the small things.
I’ve started the process of de-cluttering my mind and my home. It’s a slow process but one that I am truly enjoying. For the first time, in a long time, I feel content with my life. Although, I am only at the beginning of my simple journey, I know that I am on the right track, and that in itself is a magical place to be!
Read more from Saida at A Breath of Simplicity.
