Minimalist Parenting: 3 Ways You Can Improve Your Family Dynamic
The idea of minimalist parenting may seem like a strange concept as we speedily barrel through the first quarter of the 21stย century. However, there has probably never been a time when it was more necessary to carve out some blissful simplicity for you and your family. Everyone can stand to spend more time face-to-face instead of face-to-screen, outside of necessity.ย ย
Try out these three ways to improve your family dynamic by getting back to basics:ย ย
1. Clear Away the Clutterย
In spite of the societal urge to move everything to the cloud, many people still tend to keep a lot of clutter around the house. Closets billow with rarely worn clothing and shoes while never used sports equipment is taking up an entire space for a car.ย ย
This is the perfect time to enlist the kids to help purge the closets, drawers, cupboards, garage and any other that you stow items you will never use again. It is a good opportunity to teach them about the value of keeping a space clean and not holding onto objects that you know have no value to their lives. You can also work with the kids to help them determine the condition of the object andย if it can benefit someone elseย in some way. If so, you can decide whether to donate or re-sell the item. If the item is not in good condition, it is a good time to discuss things like taking good care of their belongings for their own use or in this type of situation.
2. Focus on Celebrating Long-Held Family Traditions and Holidays in Non-Materialistic Waysย
It seems like most focus on traditions like birthdays and holidays today centers squarely on some commercial angle wherein people spend more time worrying about buying a gift than spending time with loved ones. Instead of buying gifts for Christmas, agree to go on a family trip together. Maybe on the way back from visiting grandma and grandpa, you and the family visit the Grand Canyon or go for a hike along a scenic national trail. Anything that gives you the chance to create a new and lasting memory can help you move away from materialism and toward more quality time together. As a bonus,ย plan car-friendly gamesย that rely on interaction and whimsy like “I Spy” or “The License Plate Game.”
3. Invest in a Family Smartphone to Reduce Constant Communications Dependenceย ย
In a time when it seems like everyone owns their own smartphone, it may seem strange to suggest reducing the number of mobile phones in your home and in your kids’ hands at all times. Consider investing in one smartphone like theย Samsung Galaxy S8 as your go-to family mobile. This strategy may help reduce everyone’s dependence on having their own individual phone while you all still get to enjoy the phone’s great features and benefits. Remember, there was a time when everyone used a single landline, so we know it is possible to live with a single phone. With a mobile device that offers so many useful functions and features, no one will suffer from sharing once they adjust.
Take the Road Less Traveled & Enjoy the Company
There are many additional ways that you and your family can enjoy a more minimal and mutually interactive life together. Regardless of how easy it is to give gifts and use your individual smartphones for convenience, you are all likely to find far more life-enriching benefits when committing to improving your family dynamics.
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