Something that has significantly reduced my stress, which has reduced my mommy tantrums has been implementing the idea of Kim John Payne’s simplicity. It’s round 2 this week as I again go through the kids’ toys and clothes and get rid of things that they’ve outgrown, are broken, or just need to be stored and recycled for another day. With fewer toys and books, the children play better and longer independently!
Day 9
Simplify your home.
In Payne’s book Simplicity Parenting, he suggests that parents look at several areas to work on. Toys and books are a big area. We have a space in our storage area for the “extras.” There’s a basket for my 3 year old’s plastic animals, bookshelves of their books, and bins of others toys. In the play room, we’re keeping things simple and less cluttered – with just some of their favorite toys. Each month or so, the children can go up to the storage area and exchange their toys with a few others to keep things interesting.
As many of you know, we have also eliminated television. We have been 95% TV-Free since November. The few exceptions have been when we are at a relative’s home or to watch a special show with the family. We’ve also turned off the radio. We no longer listen to the commercials and the pop-culture music of the Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift, and Miley Cyrus that come across the sound waves while driving to school.
These two areas – the stuff and the media – have calmed things down in our home and car. There’s less whining, demanding, and tantruming with less things and less noise. I don’t have to negotiate the media and the children are so much more engaged in their play with less.
Hope this inspires you to simplify!
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
Tags: Children Under Age 7, choices, communication, discipline, family culture, intention, Kim John Payne, rhythm, routine, screens, self-discipline, simplicity parenting, toys, Waldorf
We dropped our cable yesterday and it feels so good! And moving has been a great declutterer… thank you again for the gentle reminders.
Much love, Karly
Wow! Karly – that’s so awesome. I’m really excited for your family. You’re certainly on your way toward creating more simplicity. I encourage mamas out there who are struggling with their overwhelm with food and cravings and negative feelings about their body to visit your incredibly supportive website. It is such a source of peace and strength for me on my journey with my health.
This post made me smile. We are in the process of lessening clutter and remodeling to make the spaces in our house work better for us. LoL. At the moment it looks more as if we are moving than living. Yes, it does add to my stress levels, I cling to my ‘picture’ of how good it will all work when we are done (hopefully sooner than later).
We are very Waldorf in our approach to media, the kids don’t watch TV and we might plays a kids music CD once in a while, we tend to sing and tell stories instead.