It
is difficult to teach our children the joys of owning less when they are
surrounded by a world of people wanting more.
In
an increasingly materialistic world, our children search for acceptance within
their peer groups which inevitably comes at a cost. Marketing routinely and
intentionally targets these young adult demographics, knowing that once they
get the minds and buying power of the youth, they will continue to have it for
many years to come.
When
our children begin to mature and start making their own choices, they use their
peer network to aid their decisions making rather than looking to their parents
for the answers. This creates a formidable challenge for parents, getting the
minimalistic message through to our children and their friends. The message of
sustainable consumerism as opposed to the excessive norm.
Many
of our children’s significant decisions are still ahead of them. The message of
simplicity and frugality helps equip them to make wise decisions when the time
domes. By teaching them that debt is not the solution and that financial
freedom comes firstly living with in their means, will put them in a great
position for the future.
Reaching
our children before the turn to their peer groups for the answers is so
critical as educating them before their spending habits are formed will aid in
counteracting the peer affects.
As
parents that have gained the knowledge that a fulfilled life is not gained from
consumerism. Consumerism gives you small hits of what feels like fulfilment but
ultimately all it brings is decades of financial burden and empty promises of
fulfilment. We as parents need to recognize an important opportunity to inspire
our children to pursue lives of greater value over financially focused success.
As
parents we need to mentor our children not with lectures about what they need
to do. We need to demonstrate it with our own action by living our values every
day.
Consider
embracing these important tips for raising consumer conscious children in
an age of excess:
1.
Simplicity. Our children are more likely to follow a simplicity model if they
see it from their parents. The first (and most important) step in raising
minimalist children is to let them experience the joys and benefits of
intentionally living with less.
3.
Watch less television. It’s not as hard as you think—and has immediate, positive
results for you and your child. Reading together as a family is good for adults
and children and it will install some old world charm to family life
4.
Make teenagers pay for expensive items themselves. Every parent ought to
provide food, clothing, shelter, and necessities. And every parent should give
good gifts to their kids. But by teaching them to save for those big ticket
items with money raised from working or gifts will create real value explain to
them how many hours they worked for that money and even better tell them how
many hours you work for that money
5. Teach our children to recognize the underlying message in advertising. Advertisements are not going away and can never be completely avoided. Teach them to think what they are really selling and teach them how to consider purchasing and how it improves their lives as opposed to buying just because it is the norm.
6.
Teach our children that life is not easy. Often, as parents we work hard
to ensure a significant advantage for our children by providing for them at all
costs. But we need to teach them that life is hard work and the more you have
the more you work to pay for it. We need to teach them the truths of
responsibility, it is hard work maintaining the possessions of life (lawns must
be mowed, cars cleaned & maintained, laundry sorted, rooms tidied). Expose our
children to this truth as early (and as often) as possible.
