Hi guys, I hope we are good. I have come to share how I manage parentage with minimalism and it's effect on my children in reaction to KISS 166.
Long before marriage, I have been hearing how much parenthood can change a person, especially in my house, they do tease me that all my principles and lifestyle wouldn't last. They said once I get married and start having kids, things will change. In fact, "Children will change" became the anthem of the house. But I would always tell them, "We shall see". Seriously, I never believed them for ones. I know some things will definitely change, but not like my profitable minimalist approach. Why would it change? Truly, I am not the type that suffers children but I won't also make them spoilt brats. I would raise my kids within my means. In fact, to me, minimalist is the best approach to raising kids.
Many at times, I look at some of my landlord's children and shake my head. Their mothers believe you have to get a child everything he/she wants. They don't mind if they do not want what they just got them again, they run to the market to something else, they newly desire. They don't mind wastage. They don't mind begging and borrowing from their tenants' children to please their children or to stop them from crying. Sometimes, I wonder if I was the problem, because I could barely stand covetousness, greed and all their wasteful habits. It really pisses me.
Minimalist is a good lifestyle, and I made sure I don't compromise it, even now that I am a parent. I balance the two. I even made my children understand and see reasons to make good use of everything they have, as there are many children out there that are praying to have they have. I made them appreciate whatever they have and make the optimal use of it. Also, I made to dislike wastage because they know it's not part of my lifestyle. I enrolled my children in a good and affordable school. I don't put them in a highest paying school, where they will be chasing them home for school fee, because I want to impress anybody.I rather, I work hard, and do what I do according to my capacity. I also give my children good food, clothes with quality clothes and shoes, sometimes fron second hand stores, which do appear beautifully , unique and uncommon on them. Imagine the clothes in these pictures are from second her store. I also support and encourage to study effectively at home. Thereby making them, good managers of time, and their performance, exceptional at school.
So, instead of dumping minimalist lifestyle for parenthood, I introduce my wards to the life sustaining lifestyle that helps them to stand strong and independent wherever they are. In fact, through minimalist lifestyle, my children now appreciate more. They avoid wastage of food, wastage of time and other resources. Even, without telling them, they make things on their own. They reinvent their own designs using old materials. This has really brought me so much peace. They put no pressure on me, and neither covet their neighbours' things.
At the end, I'm glad people are now seeing the positive effects of minimalist lifestyle on children, as most parents are now adopting it. Thanks for reading.
All pictures are mine.