Simple Kids

A high chair for Amelia (my thrift haul)

Kara — Wed, 16 May 2012 04:51:19 PDT

One of my Mother’s Day treats over the weekend was time by myself at the thrift store. Wonderful! (And, does my husband know me well, or what?)

I picked up some more frames for my growing family gallery and I also came across a treasure: a high chair!

We’ve been using a simple plastic travel booster seat since my oldest daughter Jillian was a baby, but I’ve always wanted a real wooden high chair. It has never been in the budget, though, and I never could bring myself to borrow one of those giant plastic ones from a friend or family member.

Don’t misunderstand: I’m all for using what you have, and for being frugal, and I’ve done that for over a decade now when it comes to children’s things. But, I’ve always wanted for my babies to have one of those nice, sleek wooden high chairs or a charming vintage one, like the ones at my parents and grandparents’ houses.

So, I was pretty delighted on Sunday to run across this one for eight dollars! It is perhaps more of a booster seat than a highchair since it has no tray, but to be honest we’ve been pulling Amelia right up to the table for a few weeks anyway.

She still isn’t very interested in eating table food, (anyone else’s nine month old like this?) but she likes to squish things between her fingers and smash it into her plate and she loves socializing with all of us at the dinner table.

I have plans to give the chair a good sanding and a new paint job but for now Miss Amelia perches in a new, to us, high chair that is lovely to look at and functional.

A definite thrift store score!

This post will be linked up to Thrift Haul at Simple Design. Have you had any thrift store scores for your kids lately? What do your kids sit in at the table?

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A high chair for Amelia (my thrift haul) is a post from Simple Kids

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Lucy’s fourth birthday (want, need, wear, read)

Kara — Sun, 13 May 2012 21:01:43 PDT

My Lucy turned four years old over the weekend. Four! An age that seems to be so big and yet still so very little at the same time (which is probably one of those statements that only a parent or a grandparent can understand).

I did it again. I blinked.

I blinked and this teeny, tiny, little pink bundle …

… turned into this singing, dancing, laughing girl of four.

This girl of mine, who loves hats, dress up clothes, purple, and baby dolls and, most importantly, horses. The girl who is going to be a cowgirl when she grows up. The girl who picked the Kentucky Derby winner by the color of the jockey’s clothing.

The girl who recently told me she was having a hard time deciding whether she should grow up and have a horse or grow up and be a horse.

The girl who, from the age of two to about three and a half never, ever, ever sat still (unless she was sleeping) who has lately turned into my quiet, soft-spoken, often shy sidekick. A daydreamer who, more often than not, can be found looking out the window watching the world going by or laying on her back on the swing in the backyard watching the clouds.

Unless, of course, she is pretending to ride a horse. Or pretending she is a horse, and then off she gallops, wind in her hair, wild and free!

Both little sister and big sister, and always my baby.

What I don’t talk about too often, outside of family and a few close friends, is that Lucy has had a hard year. Three isn’t always an easy age, by well-earned reputation, but it is even more bumpy and emotional when you don’t feel well and spend much of the year sick. (She’s going to be okay, just some minor health concerns which seem to be behind her now).

And, it isn’t easy when a new baby comes to live at your house and you lose your place as the baby of the family. Sometimes age three needs extra reassurance and patience.

We’ve done a lot of rocking and cuddling and comforting this past year, Lucy and I. We’ve both done a lot of growing, too. I feel like this birthday is not just her milestone, but my own as well.

We celebrated simply, with brother and sisters and grandparents. It was a lovely weekend and I’m so thankful I got to share it with my favorite four year old in all the world.

Simple birthday gifts: want, need, wear, read

Something she WANTS … she asked for a real horse, which we aren’t quite in the position to do right now, so we gave her a hobby horse instead. I am happy to report the hobby horse was instantly loved and will definitely do “until I save my monies for a real horse.”

Something she NEEDS … a set of grown-up dishes, like the rest of the family, in her favorite color. When she opened them her big sister Jillian told her, “and now you get to wash your own dishes, too.”

Something to WEAR … a purple tee shirt from Happy Family with one of her mama’s favorite quotes on it.

Something to READ … this sweet book whose illustrations I could not resist because they so remind me of my little girl.

Another favorite birthday present? A small collection of ponies and horses that Grandma Kathy gave to her, which had belonged to her once upon a time when she was a little girl who loved horses. Pretty wonderful!

Happy Birthday, my sweet Lucy girl!

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Lucy’s fourth birthday (want, need, wear, read) is a post from Simple Kids

Weekend links and Happy Mother’s Day!

Kara — Sun, 13 May 2012 16:32:49 PDT

When to Step Back, When to Step In ::: Mommy Coddle
FREE Mother’s Day Story ::: Sparkle Stories
The road to simplicity is marked by complexity. But it is still worth it. ::: Simple Mom
9 Essential Skills Kids Should Learn ::: Zen Habits (hat tip to Let’s Explore)
Kids Sharing a Bedroom: Pros and Cons ::: Play.Fight.Repeat.
Where is the Mommy War for the Motherless Child? ::: Rage Against the Minivan

You guys are so funny and sweet! I was a bit nervous about my post on Monday, I think because it is perhaps the most open I’ve let myself get in this space, postpartum in pajamas even, and you received me in all my imperfection so kindly. Thank you!

Thanks to my husband, I was able to add another photo to the collection when he took this picture of the kids and I. It isn’t perfect, but it is us – exactly as we are in the moment. That, my friends, is something to treasure.

I hope you found some moments this weekend to treasure, too.

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Weekend links and Happy Mother’s Day! is a post from Simple Kids

Cooking with the kids: cinnamon rolls on a Saturday morning

Kara — Thu, 10 May 2012 22:23:22 PDT

The following post is by editor Kara Fleck.

Last Saturday morning my daughter Jillian and I found ourselves awake before the rest of the family. Normally when I am awake early on a weekend morning it is because of the youngest member of our family, so it was nice for my oldest child and I to get to spend some one on one time together.

While the rest of the family slept, she and I decided to surprise them with homemade cinnamon rolls.

We let our new (to us, anyway) bread machine do the work of the kneading and rising.

[We made our cinnamon rolls using the Money Saving Mom's bread machine cinnamon rolls recipe. I substituted coconut oil and our flour was 3C all purpose with 1C wheat.]

As we waited, we sat at the table together, she sipping a glass of milk and me with my coffee, and we chatted about everything from For Better or For Worse comics (her current favorite comic) to whether or not she likes the new math program we’re using for homeschool. She chattered, I listened, and we reconnected after a busy week.

It was a sweet, slow morning. It was nice.

Later we rolled out the dough, spread on the filling, and cut the rolls before baking. I love that she is old enough to be a real help in the kitchen and I appreciate the extra pair of hands, not to mention her enthusiasm.

As the rolls were baking, the rest of the family began waking up and wandering into the kitchen. Before long, the full on hustle and bustle of a weekend morning as a family of six was in effect. Max and Lucy wanted to help and elected to spread the icing with some generous enthusiasm of their own.

When the family sat down to breakfast, I couldn’t help but notice Jillian’s beaming face as everyone was eating. She was proud to have made something that everyone was enjoying. It was a good morning.

It might have seemed like an ordinary morning to an outsider, but I know these are the moments to treasure. Before I know it, the lanky ten year old in my kitchen is going to grow up into a young woman. I’m going to blink and she’ll have a kitchen of her own.

As Natalie Merchant was crooning on my iPod recently, these are the days to remember.

We may just have to make Saturday morning cinnamon rolls a new mother-daughter tradition. I know the three year old thinks so!

getting to eat together is one of the best parts

Other things we’ve been cooking and enjoying together:

during homeschool study of Turkey, we tried ayran, a yogurt drink
shrimp quesadillas (an eMeals recipe from their Clean Eating plan)*
easy Italian bread sticks, another bread machine recipe found on Money Saving Mom
raspberry bars, a recipe from The Whole Food Kitchen ecourse (which is over now, but you should mark on your calendars for next year when Heather offers it again. It was very thorough and I learned a lot.)

Are you looking for some ideas for fun in the kitchen with younger children? Corey of Teach Your Tot has some suggestions for a Cooking theme that might fit the bill.

What have you and your kids been cooking up in the kitchen? Have you discovered any new recipes?

*you can try eMeals’ new clean eating plan for a %10 discount with the coupon code CLEAN

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Cooking with the kids: cinnamon rolls on a Saturday morning is a post from Simple Kids

8 Ways to help your children respect other cultures

Catherine — Tue, 08 May 2012 21:01:10 PDT

The following post is by contributor Catherine Way of Adventures With Kids.

What is your child’s favourite food? One of my son’s favourite things to eat is Vegemite toast. What sports do your children like to play or watch on TV? My sons love to play footy in the backyard and watch the AFL (Australian Football League). That’s right, we’re Australian. I bet that, wherever you are in the world, what your children like is different to what my children like. That’s because everyone is different and everywhere is different.

Children are born belonging to a particular culture, but around the world there are many ways of living and being. Technology has connected the world and we can speak to and see people in far away places within seconds. As they grow, today’s children will encounter and need to connect, communicate and work together with people from a diverse range of backgrounds. Encouraging your child to approach people’s differences with a mindset of learning from one another, rather than fearing or judging one another, will help them to understand that despite the differences these are people just like them.

Gaining knowledge of different cultural practices also helps children develop their sense of identity and understand their place in their family, local community, town, country and the world community.

Here are some ways to explore different cultures, traditions, languages and families with your child:

Snuggle up with a book.

There are many books that can introduce you to places around the world or people that are different from your children. Delightful Children’s Books has a wonderful list of books to help you Read Around the World.

My favourite book for starting a discussion about diversity is Mem Fox’s, Whoever You Are. It is a wonderful book showing the differences and the similarities of children in cultures around the world with the message that no matter where we come from our hearts are the same.
Cook (and eat)!

I can’t imagine being confined to food from one culture. I love to try international food. Cooking and eating new dishes with your children is fun and a great way to start a discussion about other cultures. There are many ways to introduce internationl food. Have a theme night with food from a country you are interested in. Or plan a project to cook and try international desserts. Visit the supermarket and choose a new type of fruit. How about eating with chopsticks, making your own pasta or rolling sushi?
Learn some new words.

Guten Morgen! Selamat Pagi! Bom Dia! Learn how to say good morning, goodbye or thank you in other languages. Learn to count to 10. Challenge yourself to say good morning in a different language every day for a week. Or learn some simple songs in another language – Frere Jacques, anyone?
Dance and sing

Music is a wonderful way to give the world to your children. There are some many beautiful styles around the world. Have you ever heard Tuvan throat singing, played a guiro or seen an Irish dance. This playlist on Simple Kids is a great place to start exploring world music with your kids, or Putumayo Kids has a range of world music CDs.
Look at the map

Get a world map or an atlas. Play games with your children. Try to find countries from A to Z. Pick and country and wonder about what it would be like to live there – would it be hot or cold? what animals would be around? what would your house look like? Use Google Earth to take a closer look at the country of your choice. What are the landmarks that tourists might visit in that country?

If you have an ipad, Barefoot Books has an amazing World Atlas app to help you explore the world.
Be open to discussion

Be available to your children when they have awkward questions about differences between people. Don’t automatically shush them or ignore their question (although you may need to tell them that they need to ask again at a more suitable time). By honouring your children’s questions, you teach them that it is okay for people to be different and is not something that we ignore or are ashamed about.
Take an excursion

One-on-one contact is most effective way to teach about other places and cultures. Take your children to restaurants that serve mulitcultural food. Look out for multicultural festivals and events in your town. If and when you have the money, travel to other countries and let your children experience different cultures first hand.
How can you help

Unfortunately, not all countries in the world are created equal. Many people around the world are much less well off than us. So, as you explore the world with your children, think about whether you could do something to help those people. Perhaps you could make a donation, sponsor a child or loan money through Kiva.

I hope I have inspired you to explore the world with your children and give them a chance to appreciate the richness of the world’s cultural diversity.

Website for further inspiration: kidworldcitizen

What culture would you love to explore with your child/ren?

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8 Ways to help your children respect other cultures is a post from Simple Kids

Flashing back to my own childhood

Kara — Tue, 08 May 2012 09:10:40 PDT

Arianne over at Simple Design has started a fun link-up for sharing our thrift store purchases, Thrift Haul. Second-hand shopping is one of my favorite hobbies (if you can call something that is also a necessity a hobby, and I think you can).

As I mentioned yesterday, we’ve been spending quite a few weekend mornings cruising the thrift stores looking for picture frames.

Recently one of my thrift store scores had me flashing back to my own childhood: a Fisher-Price Main Street set.

Normally I’m not really a fan of plastic toys and prefer playthings made of natural materials. However, I remember playing with, and loving, Fisher-Price little people as a child and I just couldn’t resist adding this one to our collection (we also have the Fisher-Price barn that was mine as a kid). What can I say? My sentimental heartstrings were plucked.

We were lucky to find this one in its original box, with all of its pieces, and with the stickers in terrific shape. What fun!

It was five dollars well spent as the kids have been enjoying it and I have been enjoying reliving my own childhood memories.

Are you a second-hand shopper? Have you had any recent thrift store scores? Head over to Simple Design to join in the link-up fun!

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Flashing back to my own childhood is a post from Simple Kids

Helping these walls to talk (however imperfectly)

Kara — Sun, 06 May 2012 21:01:14 PDT

It may be because I am finally starting to come out of my post-baby fog. It may be that it is Spring.

I’m sure that Pinterest has something to do with it.

I suppose it could simply be that the recent sunshine pouring through my windows revealed all the dust and the drab.

Whatever the reason, I’m feeling itchy to make some changes in my surroundings.

For one thing, these bare walls are closing in on me. I’m home with four little children, three of them under the age of five. It gets loud around here, friends. There are times when the noise is suffocatingly loud.

Visual reminders

Decorating has not been a priority the past seven years we have lived in this space. And, while I take a lot of pictures, framing them or scrapbooking just has not happened. (Some day I’ll have to explain to my children why the oldest has volumes of albums documenting her early years and the youngest three just have memory cards and my flickr account.)

My hands, and thoughts, have been quite full with other things.

But the bare walls are starting to get to me.

My motivation to make some changes is simple, really: I want some visual reminders of this wonderful, messy, happy, roller-coaster life with my family. I need it where I can see it, even when (especially when?) what is happening around me isn’t the happy messy but the messy-messy.

Taken at 11:11 am on 11/11/11

Yes, you do see black eyes, markers, and a certain blue hedgehog.

But first I hope you notice the smiles.

During those moments when the roar gets to be too much, I think it would help if I could gaze upon my walls and see the faces of my loved ones smiling back at me. I believe it might be comforting, say, in the middle of the night when pacing the floor with a teething, tired, fussy baby, to look upon these walls and see the face of my baby broken wide into a grin from a recent happy day.

Yes, visual documentation of joyful moments might be just the sweet reminder I need when the three year old melts down that the days are long but the years are short.

And, maybe, just maybe … when the ten year old is rolling her eyes at me or believing her mother incredibly unfair, maybe she’ll look at those photos of that smiling, bald baby from ten years ago and notice the love on the face of the mother holding her in the pictures. Hopefully she’ll remember that we are the same pair, aged just a decade, with the same love.

What does it say about me that my blog has more recent family photos on it than the walls in my home? Egad.

There will be no professional photography and family portrait session (as much as I would love it), no artwork rendering our family into something suitable for the mantle. My simple point and shoot camera and cell phone photos are what I’ve got to work with, alongside my meager shutterbug skills.

I’ve got to liven these walls up and coax them into speaking our family story by other means.

This mama is on a budget.

Instead, off into cyberspace my digital images have been flying (practically every time I stumble upon a coupon code for photo printing), ready to be turned into prints. To the thrift store I’ve been cruising, digging for picture frames and artwork whose wrappings I can raid. I’ve been eying the creations of my very own in-house artists and curating our family gallery.

I haven’t been worried about the “perfect” shot or if there are too many toys (or dirty dishes or dust bunnies) in the background of the pictures. I just go through my images and pick the ones whose memories shout out to me the loudest, the ones where I can almost hear the giggles or feel the soft baby cheeks.

August 2011 – I’m so exhausted, but so happy on one of the best days of my life

My frames are a motley crew of mismatched second-hand finds and some of my prints are in color and some are black and white. Maybe some day I will spray paint all of the frames a matching color and create groupings like the ones I pin on Pinterest, but for now it just matters to me that I put the pictures up so we can enjoy them.

I already feel like the walls are easing up on their squeeze a bit and this place is starting to feel a little less drab (the sun went back behind the rainclouds so the dust is waiting patiently, as dust tends to do).

It has been some time coming and I’m so glad that I decided not to put it off any longer, waiting for the “perfect” timing, photograph, or financial moment. Kids don’t slow their growth for time, budgets, or sentimental mothers.

Weekend links and Sparkle Stories winners

Kara — Sun, 06 May 2012 04:54:32 PDT

Sorting and Storing Kids’ Clothes ::: Life As Mom
Colored Sand Art ::: Let’s Explore
Telling Teachers Thanks ::: Not Just Cute
Preparing for Summer: a Fun, Flexible Daily Routine ::: Inspired to Action
Regularly Turn Off Your TV ::: Simple Mom
Having a HEART for Your Kids ::: Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers

I was especially touched by this post from The Not-Ever-Still Life this week: And the Bad Dreams that You Dare Really Do Come True. Perhaps Robin’s words seemed so compelling to me because parenting has brought some of those moments to me, the ones where you know you are supposed to be the one who makes it all better, but you just have no idea how you will? We get through them, but, as Robin writes, they do linger, don’t they?

There are also a few freebies that I wanted to tell you about:

Little Acorn Learning has a page of free samples of their childcare guides, menus, and more
Roost Books has a page of free projects, many of them from some of my favorite books for families

Sparkle Stories winners

The winners of yesterday’s Sparkle Stories giveaway were:

1. Keri, who said, “Always looking for ways to introduce my kids to imaginative things. This sounds great!”

2. Alisa, “Would love to try this!”

Congratulations! Be watching your email for information on how to collect your prize!

A few words of thanks

I want to thank contributor Jaimie Franchi and guest poster Suzita Cochran for their posts this past week. 5 Lessons from a TV Free Household, and the discussion that took place in the comments, gave me much to ponder during my family’s TV Free week. And, How Too Much Choice Affects Our Kids might be one of my favorite guest posts to run on Simple Kids ever because it so eloquently expresses a belief that I hold dear: less is more. (Plus, now I’ve got some more reading for my 40×40 list.) Ladies, thank you both for lending your words to Simple Kids this week!

Coming up this week

Coming up this week I’ll be sharing our a bit about the stories our walls tell, contributor Catherine Way has a post on kids and respecting other cultures, and I’ll share with you some of the recent kitchen adventures my little ones and I have had.

I know I had said that I would share our TV Free experience with you tomorrow, but I think I’m going to let those thoughts percolate a bit more and I’ll share them with you later in the week instead.

It is going to be a terrific week on Simple Kids. I hope you’ll join us!

I’m feeling thoughtful, friends. (And, evidently, a little on the wordy side this morning) I think it is time for me to grab a journal and my coffee and find a quiet corner of the house. Have a fantastic Sunday, everyone!

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Weekend links and Sparkle Stories winners is a post from Simple Kids

Weekend giveaway: Sparkle Stories

Kara — Fri, 04 May 2012 21:22:04 PDT

Today’s weekend giveaway is very fitting as it is for one of our family’s favorite non-television activities: Sparkle Stories!

If you are on the lookout for a unique gift for the kids in your life, may I suggest Sparkle Stories, original tales told by an engaging story teller? The tales are entertaining, soothing to listen to, and teach a few lessons along the way.

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you!

A subscription make a unique gift that doesn’t take up any room in the toy box, kids can share, and will give joy week after week.

With six subscription series options to choose from, many are sure to delight your child, as well. Sparkle Stories also offers an audio book for children ages 9 and up called How to Be Super. My children ages 3 (almost 4), 5, and 10 are big fans of the Martin and Sylvia stories.

From the Sparkle Stories website:

“Sparkle is an online resource for high-quality audio stories for children and families. Each week Sparkle Stories delivers delightful audio stories to subscribers around the world. We offer five original Story Series, plus a sixth Series with classic stories, songs and games, all designed to entertain and inspire the whole family.”

You can check out the series, listen to samples, and find out the age recommendations here at the Sparkle Stories website.

Sounds great, right? Are you ready to enter for a chance to win?

Two Simple Kids winners will receive a 3-month subscription to Sparkle Stories – the winners can choose any three stories that they’d like to hear. (So that’s 3 months of subscription to 3 stories of choice).

How to Win

To be entered for a chance to win, simply leave a comment in the comments section below! Note: if you are reading this via email or a reader, you will need to visit the blog to enter.

This giveaway will end tonight, Saturday May 5th at midnight EST. Good luck!

The lovely folks at Sparkle Stories are offering a wonderful discount to all Simple Kids readers — Try Sparkle Stories for $1! We’re offering a $1-for-the-first-month of subscription. Go to http://www.sparklestories.com/trysparkle/ and choose one of our Sparkle Stories Packages. Use the magic code SIMPLYSPARKLE to receive your discount!

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Weekend giveaway: Sparkle Stories is a post from Simple Kids

“I would have liked the other one better!” How Too Much Choice Affects Our Kids

Kara — Thu, 03 May 2012 21:01:57 PDT

I’ve never been the type of parent to hand the television remote over with no limits, but as I was reminded this week, when TV isn’t an option at all, my kids seem to naturally gravitate toward creative play, reading, even daydreaming. This has reaffirmed my belief that less is more. That is why I think today’s guest post about choices by Suzita Cochran of Play.Fight.Repeat. is so perfectly timed. Read on and then let us know in the comments what you think about how too much choice affects our kids. I will share more about our experience with TV Free week in Monday’s post. – Kara

The following post was written by Suzita Cochran of Play.Fight.Repeat.

When my kids were preschoolers, I’d give them the latest toy catalog before birthdays and holidays and have them circle things they wanted. This seemed like what we parents were supposed to do. And I’ll admit, watching their chubby faces light up when they came across something they desired was pretty satisfying.

My husband and I would sort through the circled toys and choose a few to give them. It all went smoothly until the big day arrived. Their small, awkward fingers excitedly tore open the presents and initially big smiles appeared.

But after briefly playing with the new toys, they launched into a round of pointed questions. “Where’s the jumping stick thing I circled? Why didn’t I get that?” “I like these trucks but I would have also liked that big bear.” Or from our daughter who’d already received one princess gown, “Why didn’t you get me that yellow princess dress too?”

The first few times we ignored these annoying questions as best we could. But this predicament had surprising staying power. It seems that my young children, the same ones who couldn’t remember how to make the letter K or what their phone number was, could generate from memory a complete list of the toys they hadn’t received, even a month later!

What was going on?

In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz confirms what our family experienced: As our choices increase, our expectations do too. When we have numerous options we are less satisfied with the end result, even if it’s perfectly fine. Like my young children, we hold the memory of a “toy” we didn’t receive and always wonder, What if I’d gotten that one instead?

The United States, where we live, was built on a foundation of freedom of choice. But we’ve taken this idea to extremes when the average grocery store now sells over 50 types of salad dressing. We assume that if some choice is good, more choice will be better. But Schwartz finds that more choice is actually worse than some choice.

No matter what our age, too much choice can paralyze our decision making, and lead to putting off a decision rather than making a less than perfect one.

Five ways to limit choice in our kids’ lives:

1. Don’t hand over the complete catalog of toys, summer camps, colleges, etc. to your child. First have a conversation with him about his priorities related to the choice at hand. For instance, if he has a hobby or spends lots of time playing a sport, gifts might include items to support these activities.

2. Don’t leave the full choice to your child. Help her by culling the choices down ahead of time. Perhaps offer 3 summer camps you know your child would enjoy and have her pick 1 or 2 of these. Then she won’t have numerous unchosen options to wonder about later.

3. Be careful with the language you use with your kids. Beware of phrases such as:

It’s completely up to you.
You can do anything you want.
It’s a blank slate.
Your options are wide open.

While these phrases may be appropriate at certain times, they can also convey inaccuracies to your child. Honestly, do we ever have a completely blank slate to work with in life? Instead use language which supports satisfaction with the final choice.

When I was in the bewildering process of applying to college, I remember my Dad saying, “Where ever you go in the end will be your #1 college.” I don’t know where he got this, but it is one of the most helpful things he’s ever said to me.

4. When children are young, offer them small, daily choices that you have little stake in. “Would you like to wear the red socks or the blue ones?” We all enjoy having options in our lives, but as Schwartz emphasizes, just not too many.

5. Declutter children’s rooms regularly. A room overflowing with toys and clothes symbolizes too much choice for a child. Teach your child how to prioritize her favorite and most-used items by regularly sorting through her things with her. If kids are too young to help with decluttering, it will still lower their stress levels if you keep their spaces free of too much stuff.

Too much choice means reduced creativity

Author and psychologist, Wendy Mogel, notes that parents and teachers often give children too many options. A teacher might assign a research paper on any subject whatsoever. A parent may ask his kids what they want to do this summer reminding them, “The world is your oyster!”

But when we do this, kids often spend most of their energy simply narrowing down to their final choice, and can run out of steam before reaching the actual project.

Mogel writes, “Creativity blossoms when it faces limits. A sonnet is fourteen lines, a haiku just three. When water is allowed to sprinkle it loses pressure, but when it is channeled through a hose the flow is more powerful.”

Next time you’re feeling bad about limiting your child in some way, remember that you may actually be enhancing her ingenuity, creativity, and satisfaction with her eventual choice.

Suzita Cochran is a child and family psychologist and mom of two boys and a girl, ages 13, 11, and 8, who lives in Boulder, Colorado. At her blog, Play. Fight. Repeat., she writes on topics such as helping kids “stop at enough” in today’s overflowing-with-options-and-items world.

How do you limit choice but encourage creativity in your child’s life?

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“I would have liked the other one better!” How Too Much Choice Affects Our Kids is a post from Simple Kids

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Too much choice means reduced creativity