Minimalism & Kids: Simple tips for happy kids (and parents!)

The more I learn about kids and parents, the more I'm convinced that if we keep it simple and go back to basics, we will raise happy & successful kids AND enjoy the process! Today I'll share about how we live minimally with kids and why.

We use a Gabb phone with our kids (no internet, just calling & texting) you can get $30 off with this code & link:
code: MINIMALMOM30

:: N E E D M O R E S U P P O R T ? ::

We have two ways to get more decluttering help:
The Minimal Mom Private Membership Group

Take Your House Back Course

:: P O P U L A R O N T H E B L O G R I G H T N O W ::

Awesome Bundt Cake Recipes:

Make a Bundt Cake Gift Basket with Printable Recipe Card:

EASY & Cheap DIY Photo Canvas (Make this for under $5!):

Transitioning baby from co-sleeping to crib:

Bacon Guacamole Grilled Cheese:

:: C U R R E N T L Y R E A D I N G ::

M O S T P O P U L A R O N O U R B L O G R I G H T N O W :

#minimalism #familyminimalism #minimalist

M O S T P O P U L A R V I D E O S R I G H T N O W :

📺 P O P U L A R R E L A T E D:

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[momtrck]

Parents need to put down THEIR phone while with the kids.

[dlarsen]

I have become such a happier, less yelling type of mom since embracing minimalism. I don't think I realized how much all the extra stuff, especially kid stuff was causing my stress level to go up. Thank you Dawn for this gift ❤️

[mysweethearts]

Pressure and judgement from other parents is no joke. I love the unsolicited comments i get when i say our kids aren’t on 3 different travel teams for multiple sports, that we don’t spend all our weekends traveling to far away games and we “only” do school sports. They look at me like it’s child abuse. I have no problem with families who do that, but not sure how that equates to my kids losing out on “important life skills”. I think a more important life skill would be living in a family that is not so constantly frazzled, over-extended, and burnt out from all the chaos. Thank you, Dawn, for emphasizing the importance of a simplified life.

[andie]

Striving for minimalism has benefited my kids so much! They're so much less stressed now that they're in a calmer looking and less cluttered house ♥ My non verbal 9 year old finally started to use his talking device this year, and I honestly believe its hugely in part to a highly simplified living space. Hearing his thoughts and feelings for the first time in 9 years, has been nothing short of a miracle!

Also, I love your holey jeans Dawn!

[drleonesse]

My children are grown. When I was a single mom, I let them each choose ONE outside activity. The activities changed over time. They never felt limited and I could manage the schedule. One of the smartest decisions I ever made.

[rebeccaoprea]

I once heard that creativity lies just outside of boredom .

[franpatzcraig]

This has got to be one of your most important videos yet! We raised our kids simply before it was a thing. (We were a one income family in a double income community.) They excelled in school and college, married wonderful people, have great jobs, and raised super kids of their own who are now all adults. Success!!

[katherinerichardson]

Amen! As a school teacher, children are pushed too hard to do too many activities and my only help to easy up the pressure is to NOT give homework. I used our time wisely through out the day within the classroom learning time for the 3-6 graders to be creative and free of constructs so they could feel relaxed. Many so called educators in my school disagreed but I stood firm and my students did well on testing and learning new skills. Thanks for sharing.

[leannosborne]

I'm a retired preschool teacher. One of the things that broke my heart with children was they were introduced to inappropriate subjects at their young age. They definitely do react as if they had PTSD. Parents seem to do what is convenient for them (let the child watch adult content tv or movies rather than argue with them to go to bed), rather than what was best for their child. So sad!!!

[katrinaarnott]

Thank you. I feel like you just gave me permisson to not enroll in activity after activity. I've been pushing my 6 year old to pick something and I wasnt listening when she said she didn't want too. I'm going to listen and let her be.

[beverlyness]

I love this message. I haven't been able to find the words to explain this to my adult kids. I've been seeing something that feels unhealthy for young kids nowadays. They have everything at their disposal and more stuff than anyone needs to have at their age and capacity. And everything is disposable, unimportant or unwanted, and even garbage in a very short period of time. Screens, all screens are changing the climate of our children's growth and thinking processes. My kids didn't have much when they were growing up. I was a single mom and didn't have much, so they didn't either. But we always lived where there was a yard and swings and places they could walk to safely. Nowadays condo 'style' living seems to be the norm. Outside is for a nice yard instead of for children to have fun in. Or they have to be toted to a park to have that kind of fun. I've seen how my grandkids can be crabby or upset over minor infractions. I really think it relates to very little outside play time or being in nature doing nothing in particular. I'm glad there's a book about it, I'll mention it to my (adult) kids. Side Note: I babysit my now 17 month old grandson once a week. I've been doing this for almost a year. My son works from home so I see him at his lunch break. Last week my son said to me "Mom, do you know what you do for me? You help me slow down. You help me feel less stressed about what it is I have to do in the day." I thought that was the best compliment ever. I'm glad I do that for him. I think people in their 30's and 40's are dealing with too much stress. Time is speeding up and the things they have to do to make a living is wearing on them. This same stress is being passed down to their kids so that everyone in the household is in high stress mode a good deal of the time. Even if they want to take a trip someplace to unwind and have fun, sometimes the pace they take on getting ready to do that is more stressful, so much so that when they're home from their fun trip, they need several days to unwind. The very thing they left town to do. It breaks my heart to see this. I wonder if this is the core of the unrest in this nation as well. I know that's a leap, but really screens, media, advertising, pushing pushing pushing to make sales no matter what the need or the cost. It's gotten to be too much. Slowing down and taking in the world around us, we all need it, and a lot more of it than we get in the present. Thanks for this message!

[anniefenter]

I had a boy and he loved playing outside more than anything. He's 24 now and is a happy young man that is very well rounded. Also, keep them in Church and with peers / activities of like mind.

[mebeno]

I worked in a preschool and due to Covid we had to really be mindful of the things we put out for them to play with and how much (cleaning everything was a big chore!). I noticed there weren't any more "dump and run" opportunities and most children would stay in one spot for much longer, using their creativity with the toys instead of boredom after a few minutes and switching.

[susandermond]

I will post this on my Calm and Compassionate Facebook page. When I was a principal we allowed kids to bring no toys or devices to school except stuffies. The creative things they came up with at recess were delightful.

[followChristonly]

This is one of your best videos, Dawn. Very well said. We raised 6 children ( all adults now) and I still believe strongly in letting children be children as long as possible. Giving them the down time to play along with teaching them to be responsible, of course. Thank you for mentioning that TMI can cause post traumatic stress. Wow!

[paullou]

Dawn, thank you for doing a super job of giving a clear, concise foundation for better parenting!

Pediatric anxiety and depression has never been higher than it is right now. So much of parenting has actually become about the parents and not the actual best mental, physical, and spiritual welfare of their children. Parenting is hard and can be confusing, but the basic framework you shared in this video is a foundation for healthier parenting. I am sharing this video😃.

[jsully]

I always feel awful when I cannot spend the time my daughter needs. I have chronic illnesses and I do what I can but the guilt eats me up. I do love your videos. I have decluttered SO much and hope to do more.

[MelindaPlainandSimple]

Dawn, thank you! You have made me appreciate my childhood so much more. As I listen to this video, I realize that what was truly missing wasn't the things my parents couldn't afford, it was the attitude...the words, the perspective. My parents, like many parents then, raised us with a "doing without", "doing the best we can", "making do" mentality. They absolutely did do their best. But because it was sometimes a struggle, the words they chose gave more power to lack than they intended. Children follow the lead of their parents in how they view their circumstances. You are raising your children with a "living with less" and "living our best" mentality. Shift in mindset! I'm going to flip that perspective for myself when I think of my childhood. I find that, more and more, I am grateful that my parents COULDN'T give us everything. Now when I say, "We didn't have a lot growing up" it will come with a sense of fullness and gratitude, not lack.

[debsmith]

I love the memories of summer days of my kids playing outside with grass clippings and sticks making villages. I totally agree with you, Dawn. Kids need margin to just be. This is a great video. Thanks for sharing all these important thoughts!

[theresahoward]

Amen to all of this! I mean what grown up when stressed thinks " I wish I could go back to the days when I had to rush from practice to dance to then come home and do home work till midnight- those were the good ol days!' Nope. We go...."man I wish I got nap time as a grown up, I wish I could just sit outside and chill..."