Just Enough is Plenty

Especially during the holiday season, it is tempting to go all out and dazzle our children with gifts, many of them unnecessary and quickly abandoned.  For many children, these gifts just add to toy boxes, bookcases, closets and dressers brimming with stuff.

Why do we do it?  Many of us buy gifts for the pleasure it gives us and our children – no matter how momentary.  We also give to uphold family tradition.  Others of us give because we didn’t have much when we were growing up and want to make sure our children don’t feel a sense of lack.  All of us are influenced by the media that constantly pushes commercials for things to buy our children and images of children’s rooms chockfull of stuff!

Most of our children already have enough, more than enough.  At Parent-411, we believe that “just enough is plenty.”

This was brought home to us recently by an anecdote a mom shared in a workshop.  She shared the fact that having recently moved, most of her children’s toys were packed away and inaccessible.  She only managed to open one box of their playthings and quickly noticed that they were playing joyfully with the few toys they had and were having fewer fights because there was less for them to fight over. 

Even though the kids had only a fraction of their usual things to play with, they were quite content with no notion of deprivation.  The mother said she was quite tempted to keep their other things packed up.

One of the things we recommend, especially during the holidays, is to teach children the importance of giving to others and giving back.  One way to do this is by having children give their excess books, toys and clothes (in good repair) to a local shelter or shop like Morgan Memorial. 

This helps them understand that they are privileged to have more than enough of the things they need and many of the things they want.  It is important to help children learn the difference between wants and needs.

Use the holidays to teach children that they have enough and just enough is plenty!

(We recommend booking or attending our Parent411 workshop on this topic - Just Enough is Plenty.)