FAMILY
Teaching Children the Value of Simple Living
Decision Center
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t's one thing to make the decision to simplify your own life - it's quite another to get your kids to go along with your new ideas. Your most important job is to set a positive example.
Here's how the positive approach has worked for me.
One day my kids, ages 9 and 11, asked me why we didn't drive a fancier, late-model car. Rather than moaning that I'd love to but couldn't afford it, I presented the reason as a positive choice. I replied that we could go out and buy an expensive car, but that would mean that I'd need to be away from them longer while I worked to pay for the car. It would also mean less money for vacations. What kid would give up a trip to Yosemite or Disneyland, or choose to hang out more hours in day care, to have a nicer car?
Use this positive approach for all of your simplification choices and your kids will have a lot less to whine about.
Here are more ideas that will help your family simplify together:
1.
Example is the best teacher. If parents simplify their own lives in a positive way, children will learn through example. If we are living in debt, how can we teach our children to live within their means? If we rush through our days on automatic pilot, how can we share with our children the joys of living consciously and with purpose?
2.
Talk to your children. When my children see an ad in the media, we discuss the deceptive nature of advertising. I read about a boy who saw a certain toy advertised on TV and began to badger his dad to buy it for him. The dad reminded the boy that he already had the toy stuffed into a closet and never used it! This was a good lesson in the power of advertising.
3.
Set up a savings account now for yourself and your children. My children are encouraged to put away a portion of monetary gifts and allowances. Show your kids how their money can grow through the magic of compound interest.
4.
Discuss the difference between wants and needs. Your child may need a pair of jeans and may want a pair of designer jeans. You could offer to pay the cost of regular jeans, and they pick up the difference.
5.
Have your children pay for extras. When my kids want extra toys, clothes or activities, we go to the chore chart where they can earn money for household chores to pay for all or part of the item they want.
6.
Value your family time. My kids and I sit down to candlelight dinner nearly every night. We turn off the phone, put on classical music and say no to most invitations that would interfere with this special quiet time together.
7.
Say no to endless after-school activities. Pick one or two activities that you and your child feel are important and say no to the rest. This will give you more family time, and the kids will earn the value of a calmer life.
8.
Help yourself and your kids to become better human beings. It's important to teach kids the value of hard work and study, but let's not forget the value of being good people. My kids and I often hold" virtues" meetings where we study a virtue of the week, such as kindness, honesty, and compassion, and talk about how we can incorporate it into our daily lives. 
How can I do a better job of balancing work and family life?
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