How Minimalist Living Can Benefit Your Children
Written by Cora Gold, Editor-in-Chief of Revivalist
By the time you reach mid-adulthood, you realize happiness hinges less on the stuff you own and more on the experiences shared with people you love. Children benefit from learning this principle while they’re young, as they form their value systems and determine what matters most.
Focusing on what truly matters is increasingly challenging in a society that values people for what they produce, not who they are. Here’s how you can help your little one develop a strong sense of self and cherish this gift of life by embracing minimalist principles that remind them simply being is enough.
The Principles of Minimalist Living
At its core, minimalism is about focusing on those things that bring you joy while eliminating distractions from those that don’t. Although owning fewer possessions is a minimalist principle, you don’t need to sell your house and all of your material belongings. However, you intentionally choose the things that share your space, imbuing each item in your home with meaning.
Minimalism ensures every material possession you surround yourself with sees use and reflects love in some way. For example, such homes don’t lend themselves to formal living rooms — not the family room, but that sitting area your mama always kept pin-neat in case some ladies dropped by for tea. The thought of all that unused furniture just wouldn’t jibe with a minimalist vibe.
Benefits of Minimalism for Children — and Adults
Minimalism offers a host of benefits for kids and the adults who love them. Here are five solid perks backed by science.
Freedom From Possession
Too much stuff bogs you down in so many ways. One is maintenance requirements. Unless you genuinely love figurines like a character out of “The Glass Menagerie,” dusting that curio cabinet weekly is a bore of a chore. Minimalism shifts your child’s focus to what really matters — which may sometimes be a favorite toy but more often the love they share with their family and friends.
Improved Financial Security
Another way your stuff owns you is in how it takes money. Minimalism encourages spending your cash wisely and sparingly. It’s the opposite of mindless consumerism — each purchase has a purpose.
More Time and Increased Focus
Minimalism returns to you all the time you previously wasted maintaining material possessions or worrying about how to cover costs. The fewer competing things you have on your mind, the easier it is to focus on the one at hand.
Fewer distractions also help your kids focus, which can accelerate their academic progress in an increasingly competitive world. For example, 12 students with 4.0 GPA averages apply for every one open spot available at Stanford. It’s easier for children to concentrate on extracurriculars when their bedrooms don’t double as arcades.
Less Stress and Better Health
Did you know clutter can stress you out and even affect your health? It bombards your eyes with constant stimuli, which they can interpret as a neverending to-do list. Over time, high stress levels can result in cortisol imbalances that affect other hormone and neurotransmitter levels, leading to unwanted symptoms and illness.
Minimalism clears that clutter. When everything in your house has a purpose and a “home” where it belongs, it’s easier to find things. Plus, your eyes meet a tidy vista each time you look around, helping you relax.
Greater Environmental Stewardship
Consumerism and the continued fossil fuel use driving it have pushed the planet to the brink, and ensuring an ongoing habitat where humans can thrive takes conscious effort from everyone. Cutting back on spending decreases demand.
MInimalism’s emphasis on surrounding yourself with only beloved objects means using greater discretion when shopping. It also equates to spending less time driving to the store and more time doing things that matter to your children, like reading them stories and taking them to the park to foster their love of the natural world.
Stronger Relationships With Loved Ones
Perhaps the best benefit of minimalist living for children and adults is strengthening your relationships with those you hold dearest. Parents who spend all their time keeping up with the Joneses deprive their children of this vital attention.
However, this attention in early childhood matters, perhaps more than anything else. Recent psychological research reveals childhood attachment issues can spur a host of mental health issues later in life. Those with insecure attachment styles are more likely to struggle with anxiety and depression.
Furthermore, your child’s ability to form meaningful connections with others affects their life trajectory in countless ways, from their career to personal relationships. Those growing up with insecure attachments are more likely to suspect other’s motives, which can lead to poor decision-making in the workplace and lost opportunities. It’s particularly devastating to romantic relationships, as an insecure attachment can lead to mistrust, misguided accusations and ongoing fighting.
Minimalism Brings Back the Magic of Childhood
When was the last time you spent the afternoon blowing bubbles, wandering museum grounds, identifying various trees and birds or laying in the grass making cloud animals? These little rituals were once part of daily childhood existence, but they’ve gotten lost somewhere between after-school homework help and soccer practice.
Minimalism forces you to ask yourself why you love being alive and what you value. Your kids will ultimately emulate your behavior no matter what your words say — what does your example show? If you want to teach them that family matters more than a Gucci purse, sacrificing a bonus to take a mental health day with your teen when they’re struggling can be an effective way to do so.
Young kids see the world as a wondrous place, but so many lose that sense as they grow older and responsibilities fill their heads. Minimalism reminds you to step back, take time for gratitude and appreciate the miracle of being. Reflect on the millions of years of evolution and countless fortunate coincidences that make you who you are today, and teach your children to ponder the wonder of existence.
5 Ways to Embrace Minimalism and Raise Healthier, Happier Kids
Here are five ways to embrace minimalism with your little ones and help them lead healthier, happier lives as a result.
1. Teach One-In, One-Out
One-in, one-out living revolves around the idea of purging one item you already own before purchasing a new one. For example, you could teach your child to donate last year’s holiday outfit to a local thrift store before shopping for something new.
This approach works particularly well with toys and can also teach the joy of altruism. Make it a ceremony, writing a short, sweet note to slip in the pocket of a donated doll’s dress to wish the new owner joy.
2. Adopt a Thrift-First Mindset
Another minimalist principle is to reuse or repurpose old materials instead of buying new whenever possible. With that in mind, make thrift stores your first stop when back-to-school or holiday shopping times come. You can find far more creative gifts than you would at other stores, and you might score a sweet deal on designer duds you couldn’t otherwise afford.
Thrift stores are also fabulous places to explore new hobbies. You might find a telescope for investigating the night sky or a musical instrument that inspires you and your child to start a band.
3. Get Creative With Repurposing
Make DIY repurposing projects an act of love in your household. For example, an old pallet from your local hardware store can transform into:
- A cute wall garden for hanging herbs
- A planter or compost bin
- A puppet show stage
You can repurpose smaller, everyday items, too. For example, an old toothbrush can scrub grout. Get it slightly damp, though, and you can delight your kitty — rubbing the top of their head with a slightly damp toothbrush reminds them of their mama’s tongue.
4. Inspire a Love of Mother Earth
Spending time in nature with your kids is one of the best ways to inspire environmental stewardship as they grow. Studies have shown outdoor exposure in childhood fosters more pro-environmental behavior in adults.
All you have to do is head to the nearest park, playground or green space. Camping is a fun holiday or weekend escape that also inspires a love of the natural world.
5. Emphasize Experience Over Stuff
Emphasize experiences over material things in all celebrations. Go out for cake and ice cream on birthdays after spending time feeding the ducks. Visit relatives over the holidays, not simply unwrap gifts.
Instead of asking your child what they want to receive for an upcoming occasion, ask them what they would like to do. Teach them tricks, like throwing a dart at a map, researching the location and finding a curious local attraction to visit on a Saturday afternoon. Create a “family fun hat” consisting of strips of paper with experiences you and other family members would like to have, and draw an idea from it to celebrate.
Minimalism and Your Child’s Growth
Minimalist living benefits children’s mental and physical health and aids in their development. Adopting these principles can help you be the best parent possible and bring you closer.
About the Author
Cora Gold has a passion for writing about life, happiness and sustainability. As Editor-in-Chief of women’s lifestyle magazine Revivalist, she loves to share her insights and find inspiration from others. Follow Cora on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.