Kids and their Stuff…

(Übersetzt ins Deutsche unter Blog-D)

… I am a mother, writing this with a smile in my face, because this is the best way to look at this subject. If your kids are messy, all will be alright. They learn from you! Eventually they become adults and will either resent the way they lived as children and change it, or they adapted to it and continue. This can go either way and all you can do as a parent is provide a healthy, cozy and safe home- what is healthy and cozy? Well, this is very subjective and I leave this up to you to answer.

Here are just some basic guidelines from my perspective on how I handle kids rooms and the ongoing challenge to keep your home and life simple.

First, STOP buying stuff for them! Holy shit, it is overwhelming to see how many stuffed animals and toys are in young children rooms. Most of it is plastic crap that needs batteries and has no value in the upbringing of children. There are really good toys, some for creativity, others for building and imagination. You can add on to them and they last for many years. My ambition to becoming FRITZ Space Maker actually developed when I was a young girl. I kept building homes for my Barbies. It was not the Barbie itself that interested me, it was the designing of their homes. I had no fancy Barbie furniture; I used vinyl records as wall dividers, Lego’s to build furniture and fabric pieces to decorate tables and to make carpets… A small suitcase held all my Barbie equipment when I was done playing and I was able to take it with me to my friends.

Second, tell family and friends to STOP buying crap! If they want to give them a present, let them know what your child is into and what they would like. Teach your kids, that gifts are exceptional and they should get them only on special occasions. Less is more! Electronics are part of a child’s life, but try to keep it balanced. We use Koala Safe at home, a little device that controls WiFi time.

Third, STOP worrying that your child wont be an Einstein! Let them be a child and not structured by the system that develops them into functioning beings for their use and convenience. The kids need to learn to think for themselves. What I am trying to say is that maybe the latest tech stuff, teaching them to read, write and do basic math is not necessary. They do not need to know all this before or in preschool. I am convinced that this does not set them up for a better path nor does it make them smarter. Our kids did none of this before the age of six and later; just depending on their development. We have always been concerned about sending them through the conventional school system and till this day we find a way around it. I am German and the US school system has always scared me for many reasons. Our kids did not go to school and they can read, write, do math, start college and succeed with a strong foundation. They are happily finding their own track. Maybe this will ease some of you from worrying and pushing through the system. Just because everybody else is doing it, does not make it right for everybody. I truly believe that this country would not have a president like Trump, if it wouldn’t be for so many conditioned, drilled and undeveloped human beings. It is what it is, but I think we should never underestimate the importance of education in the generations to come! Quite the load for us parents to carry…

Last but not least, STOP cluttering their lives. Just like with us grown ups, there are some basic rules. Get enough sleep, eat well and exercise. Routines, story times and breaks are welcome to feel secure and to recharge. It is alright for your child to get dirty and have a few scratches. Climbing, running, swimming, riding a bicycle, having time and a good friend are the basics, which are more important than anything else. Being busy does not equal success, nor for us, but especially not for kids!