20 Ways to Embrace Simple Living as a Family
In a culture full of noise, busyness, and consumerism; our family has chosen to embrace a simple and slower paced lifestyle. Today, I want to share with you some ways you can practice simple living as a family.
What does the phrase simple living mean?
Living a simple life is about living with less, because you realize that having more and doing more doesn’t lead to happiness. It’s about finding joys in the simple things, and being content and grateful with solitude, quiet, contemplation and savoring the moment.
How to Live a Simple Life with Children:
Conquer the Clutter
Clutter can affect our anxiety levels, sleep, and ability to focus. It limits children’s creativity and abilities to cope. Decluttering our homes will simplify house work, our mental health, and give us more of our time and freedom back.
Reduce Screens
Screens don’t have to be the enemy, but they don’t have to consume our lives either. This isn’t just one children need to be careful with. I’ve seen more older adults glued to their phones than young people. You can’t live a slow, simple lifestyle if you’re all addicted to screens as screen time induces stress reactions. There are a few shows our family watches, but in general, we try to avoid screens.
Stop the Comparison Game
When you’re going against culture, you can’t play the comparison game. A lot of people tend to give us strange looks when we tell them our tween doesn’t have a cell phone or that we don’t spend money on certain things because it’s not a priority for us. People can’t believe we can find joy and happiness from something we can’t buy. They don’t understand it.
Start New Traditions
I absolutely love traditions. If they were one of the five love languages, that would probably be mine. I tend to be a complete creature of habit. However; one thing I’ve really enjoyed doing as a mother is starting new traditions. They are not always received well. For instance, we stopped giving our children birthday parties. Instead we do a simple celebration at home, enjoy a favorite meal together, and go out for an experience instead. My children have so many cherished memories of their birthdays, so I know it was a wonderful decision and continues to be.
Simplify Information
In Kim John Payne’s book Simplicity Parenting, he talks about how we need to simplify information that our children get, in the same way we would simplify their toys. They aren’t always ready for all the information out there in the world. Some children, however, are exposed to it before they’re ready. It’s important as parents, to make sure we are being intentional about keeping information simple and age appropriate for them.
Create Rhythms
Children (and most adults) thrive on structure and routine. Creating daily rhythms helps children know what comes next. However; it’s important that we create down time in these rhythms and that they include the things that are most important to us. We want some sort of flow, without the overcomplication of schedules.
Go Outside
Being outside is so important. I love the book There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather by Linda Åkeson McGurk. In the book, she says, “As a parent, a great way to support them is simply to spend a lot of time outside, ask open-ended questions, and encourage your child’s innate curiosity and willingness to investigate.” Being outside is so good for our mental and physical health. It also supports creativity, social, and motor skills in children. What a joy we can be a part of that.
Practice Contentment and Gratitude
Practicing contentment and gratitude is such a hallmark of a simple living lifestyle. Seeing the beauty in the small things is such a gift. As an adult, I have to constantly remind myself, my children are always watching. How can I teach them contentment and gratitude if I’m not practicing it. I strive to pray with them, thanking God for all the big and little things He has blessed us with.
Eat Together
Growing up, my family would eat their dinner separately in our own rooms, with our own TV sets. On average, only about 50% of families actually sit and eat meals together. This is why, I vowed to always have dinner together as a family each night. Even if we’re busy, even if it’s take out, we will eat together. This goes back to creating a family rhythm and culture. We find joy in eating together and practicing gratitude for the meal placed before us.
Engage Deeply with Others
This one is so important. I want my children to see that I have deep relationships with others. I don’t want them to remember Mama having a phone glued to her hand and being so self centered that I don’t engage with the world around me. This is why, we have made it a large priority to teach our children about serving and loving others.
We try to do volunteer work regularly and involve them. We go on regular visits to family members homes to spend time together. We make time to have game nights and movie nights together. We don’t just want to have surface level relationships, but deep, meaningful ones.
Appreciate Simplicity
It’s hard to live a simple lifestyle if we don’t appreciate it. When I think simplicity, I think of Little House on the Prairie. Don’t get me wrong, pioneer times were extremely difficult, but that’s not the simplicity I picture. Its the coziness of their home, the lack of outside noise, warm smells of fresh bread, loving family, and no demanding schedule to tend to. The work is hard, but the rest is truly rest.
Enjoy Getting Your Hands Dirty
Simple and slow living isn’t lazy living. We are still called to work diligently unto the Lord. We want our children to have a good work ethic and find the fun and enjoyment in getting their hands dirty. Whether that be a garden project, yard work, or scrubbing toilets. We always seek to have a helper and strive to enjoy working side by side.
Work as a Team
As I mentioned previously, we always seek to work side by side. Our family is always striving to work as a team. We may have some grumbles from time to time and we are quick to remind that we are a family and we work together. There are certain tasks that we find relaxing and we try to assign those tasks to those individuals. For instance, I love hanging laundry on the line. It is so soothing for me. Is it a requirement in this age of dryers? No, but it brings me joy and peace as I complete the task. I usually always end up with a little helper at my feet as well.
Pray and Worship Together
We would truly not be where we are without God. He has restored our marriage, hence restoring our family. We can not truly practice joy, solitude, gratitude, or contentment without knowing that God is the ultimate source of all of these. We are so grateful we get to enjoy His creation and serve and love others for Him, in His name.
Set your Priorities
Some people may have other priorities than us and that is perfectly okay. Setting your family’s priorities are an important part in living a simple, slow lifestyle as a family. You have to have goals and have to know what your family is headed towards. We enjoy being a homeschooling family. Working at our own pace and having the freedom of our own schedule brings such solitude and peace to our daily lives.
Live within Your Means
There has never been more freedom than when we started living within our meals. Establishing a budget, meal planning, finding free activities to do together, and simply realizing that we don’t need all the things has taken such a burden off our shoulders. Large payments and crippling debt makes it hard to wake up each morning. There is nothing more joyful than knowing your basic needs are covered, there’s a few dollars tucked away if needed, and we don’t need non-essential possessions to make us happy.
Be Intentional
There are some days where I have to be super intentional about living simply. I have to remind myself that we don’t need a picture perfect house, fancy vacations, or lots of activities in our schedule. Sometimes, I have to put down the phone and pull out a board game instead. Our family certainly isn’t perfect. We have to focus on being intentional.
Create Habits
Like everything in life, creating habits will simplify your life. It almost puts things on auto pilot. For me, doing dinner dishes and chores after supper is a habit I have created. This makes waking up and starting the day simplified. The children do their dining room chores at the same time. Habits also help to eliminate decision fatigue.
Exercise Together
My husband and I are not people that enjoy hitting the gym, but we do enjoy going for bike rides, taking walks together, and finding new hiking trails. There is nothing more serene than walking, listening to the birds, and watching the sun peek between the trees. We love including our children and showing them that it’s important to move our bodies.
Live in the Present
It can be so easy to look forward to all the exciting things you have planned, whether it be a family trip or desperately seeking to be out of the toddler tantrum phase. Don’t be so quick to look to the future. Find things to enjoy and appreciate right this moment. That laundry you’re sick of folding, means you have children at home who are warm and loved. If you can’t wait to have summer back, enjoy all the warm and cozy beverages that winter offers. Try to focus on where you are right this minute.
There you have it! 20 ways to embrace simple living as a family! Which ones do you incorporate into your family culture? Any you’re going to try? Comment down below and let me know!
