The Power Of Simplicity

I often leave books and magazines open to pages with images or texts that inspire or resonate with me on our coffee table.  One of my all time favorites is the cover page of  the November 3, 2013 issue of The New York Times Style Magazine.  The title:  "The Power Of Simplicity"  is as relevant today as it was a year ago when I first read it.

I'm not sure when it became a direct influence on how I've been approaching life lately, but regardless, I'm pleased to announce that I've been applying its simplifying message to just about everything.  The daily expectations I create for my personal and professional life seem to subconsciously prioritize themselves in my mind.  This  allows me to organize tasks more efficiently or remove some altogether.  I must admit I'm not feeling any shame in doing less, I would rather be grateful for the ability to embrace more.

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season,  let's  all remember to keep things simple and enjoy the quieter, less frenetic times.  Simplify and allow them to happen.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Slow Parenting In A Routined World

 

Summer has officially ended.  With the start of school this week, our calendar is quickly filling up with volunteering obligations, after school activities and doctor appointments.  While I enjoyed  our  non-scheduled summer, I must confess experiencing a moment of panic a few days ago.  This happened as I was learning all about the amazing camps my children's friends attended this summer.  Our children didn't go to any!  Granted we did travel up and down the New England coast during July, but for the rest of the summer we stayed pretty local and took each day as it came.  We camped out some, hiked some, we ventured into the city some, went swimming some and entertained friends some.  Some days we just stayed home and enjoyed being lazy. Granted, my work allows for a flexible schedule, but l still prefer to keep our days as free of routine as I do during the school year.  I limit sports and other activities to the degree that the kids don't feel over-scheduled and I am not running/driving around like a harried maniac.  At times, I wonder if my "slow it down" approach to parenting is inhibiting my kids' experiences, and whether they are able to keep up socially and physically with the children that are involved in more activities.  I guess time will tell.

Managing time and maintaining a feasible routine no matter how many children in one's family, can be challenging and difficult for any parent.  How much is too much and how little is too little.  I would love to hear how other parents handle the demands of a "routined world".

This could be the beginning of an interesting dialogue, don't you think?