Gratitude and the Inner 'Want Monster'
At the moment a big topic of exploration in our home-especially with our five year old Jarome-is gratitude. Gratitude for what we have and a simple enjoyment over our special things that we already own. The idea that you don't need to buy a new thing each week to feel happy.
It is such a tricky area of exploration because it really demands a lot of honest self reflection.
It demands that you yourself model gratitude as well as reflect upon what kind of a consumer you are within yourself.
It also demands that you consciously say "no". "No" to both yourself and also to over buying for your child.
My own personal reflections;
I enjoy consuming. I love hunting for a second hand treasure on the Facebook Community page. I love following gorgeously ethical brands on Instagram. I love heading to opportunity shops in case I spot a beautiful hand made tea cup just sitting there. I love visiting Kikki-K even if it is just to look over the range and then buy some cute stickers or a pen. I love buying myself a new book and I love to collect as well. I totally understand the enjoyment of something new. I love gifts.
I also geek out over a fair few children's toys. For example; I personally really want the new Harry Potter LEGO castle. I won't let the boys take the little "Sally" car (yes, from the Lightning McQueen movie) out of the house because I was so excited when we found her that I bought it for me and really truly don't want it to get lost. I also really enjoy finding a new Cars movie car that we don't already have. I think the Shopkins collections-albeit very bad for the environment-to be really cute and although we don't own any, I do look at them with longing. I won't even start on the beautiful children toys that you can buy online that are handmade, wooden, felted or embroidered. There really are some stunning creations out there.
My own reflections as a Mum;
I value our impact on 'Mother Nature'
I want my children to grow up and share an awareness that there are a lot of consumables that are made unethically, do not last and also are hard on the planet once we have finished using them.
I want my children to grow into self satisfied people who are content as opposed to focussed on consuming and instant gratification.
I want my children to understand that it is the simple things, not the buying things that really matter.
I also want my children to have the resilience to cope with not getting everything they want.
My reflections on the world we are a part of;
Whoever, in the marketing world, came up with the idea of "collections" and "limited editions" were evil geniuses. Gone are the days where having three toy cars was enough. Now you need the whole cast of all three Lightning McQueen movies.
We live in a very competitive and comparative society. It is an ongoing conscious choice to stay focused on your own bubble.
I also wonder how some processes and practices are still allowed to take place and that if there were greater transparency over what was put in products, how they were made, who made them and the direct impact on the environment, whether or not more people would buy less.
What we are trying to do in our family to foster gratitude and appreciation;
We have conversations about toy quality and the impact of plastic toys on 'Mother Nature'.
We talk about the importance of looking after the toys we already own.
We talk about how we are very lucky to have what we own and that enjoyment comes from appreciating what we already have.
My husband is fantastic at playing with our children and easily breathes new life into well loved toys.
I consciously try to role model the same gratitude I hope for my own children to experience.
I try to shop for any teacher resources once a fortnight and in one trip as opposed to heaps of little ones. The less times we visit the Mall, the less opportunities our children have to be surrounded by consumables.
We donate unused items to the local salvation army. Jarome contributes to this.
We also try very hard to read our children. Otis is pretty easy, his biggest consumer focus is the confectionary isle. Jarome's little inner 'want-monster' can extend beyond the confectionary isle and is much more evident when he has had a run of getting new things. For example, around Birthday's, Christmas or at Tax return time. Slowly, the simple things aren't enough and then it's time to check in and balance things out.
It is such a tricky area of exploration because it really demands a lot of honest self reflection.
It demands that you yourself model gratitude as well as reflect upon what kind of a consumer you are within yourself.
It also demands that you consciously say "no". "No" to both yourself and also to over buying for your child.
My own personal reflections;
I enjoy consuming. I love hunting for a second hand treasure on the Facebook Community page. I love following gorgeously ethical brands on Instagram. I love heading to opportunity shops in case I spot a beautiful hand made tea cup just sitting there. I love visiting Kikki-K even if it is just to look over the range and then buy some cute stickers or a pen. I love buying myself a new book and I love to collect as well. I totally understand the enjoyment of something new. I love gifts.
I also geek out over a fair few children's toys. For example; I personally really want the new Harry Potter LEGO castle. I won't let the boys take the little "Sally" car (yes, from the Lightning McQueen movie) out of the house because I was so excited when we found her that I bought it for me and really truly don't want it to get lost. I also really enjoy finding a new Cars movie car that we don't already have. I think the Shopkins collections-albeit very bad for the environment-to be really cute and although we don't own any, I do look at them with longing. I won't even start on the beautiful children toys that you can buy online that are handmade, wooden, felted or embroidered. There really are some stunning creations out there.
My own reflections as a Mum;
I value our impact on 'Mother Nature'
I want my children to grow up and share an awareness that there are a lot of consumables that are made unethically, do not last and also are hard on the planet once we have finished using them.
I want my children to grow into self satisfied people who are content as opposed to focussed on consuming and instant gratification.
I want my children to understand that it is the simple things, not the buying things that really matter.
I also want my children to have the resilience to cope with not getting everything they want.
My reflections on the world we are a part of;
Whoever, in the marketing world, came up with the idea of "collections" and "limited editions" were evil geniuses. Gone are the days where having three toy cars was enough. Now you need the whole cast of all three Lightning McQueen movies.
We live in a very competitive and comparative society. It is an ongoing conscious choice to stay focused on your own bubble.
I also wonder how some processes and practices are still allowed to take place and that if there were greater transparency over what was put in products, how they were made, who made them and the direct impact on the environment, whether or not more people would buy less.
What we are trying to do in our family to foster gratitude and appreciation;
We have conversations about toy quality and the impact of plastic toys on 'Mother Nature'.
We talk about the importance of looking after the toys we already own.
We talk about how we are very lucky to have what we own and that enjoyment comes from appreciating what we already have.
My husband is fantastic at playing with our children and easily breathes new life into well loved toys.
I consciously try to role model the same gratitude I hope for my own children to experience.
I try to shop for any teacher resources once a fortnight and in one trip as opposed to heaps of little ones. The less times we visit the Mall, the less opportunities our children have to be surrounded by consumables.
We donate unused items to the local salvation army. Jarome contributes to this.
We also try very hard to read our children. Otis is pretty easy, his biggest consumer focus is the confectionary isle. Jarome's little inner 'want-monster' can extend beyond the confectionary isle and is much more evident when he has had a run of getting new things. For example, around Birthday's, Christmas or at Tax return time. Slowly, the simple things aren't enough and then it's time to check in and balance things out.
Connection
Hunting for lizards on the way to the beach.
At The Farm to play outside and share some yummy food.
How do you foster gratitude within your family?
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