Toys are the DEVIL...okay not really

A few times with week I contemplated snatching up all my kids toy bins, shoving them in the back of the car and speeding down to my nearest Salvation Army.  I was DONE. The reason was three fold..

1. they don't EVER seem to play with them
2. they are always scattered around the house
3. no matter how much they whined for them, not matter how shiny and new, it takes them a month or less before the toy is tossed out like a red-headed step child

So, of course, I frantically took to GOOGLE to find some direction on this matter and I came across this minimalist website. Now, I can't say that I'm all ''full go'' with the minimalist movement as I haven't really studied much about it. However, I will say that this article pointed out a very good argument for less toys. Here is a quote;

''Toys are not merely playthings. Toys form the building blocks for our child’s future. They teach our children about the world and about themselves. They send messages and communicate values. And thus, wise parents think about what foundation is being laid by the toys that are given to their kids.''

The article lists several benefits of limiting toys including increased creativity, longer attention spans, a greater love for reading, writing, and the arts, and various others. Check it out at http://www.becomingminimalist.com/why-fewer-toys-will-actually-benefit-your-kids/.

BLESSINGS,

RANDOM MOM

 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.PROVERBS 22.6

Shall we Overcome???

I could go on a long soliloquy about my absence in blogging but..that's not what you came for right? Right! So, one day I may do just that but right now...it's BACK TO BUSINESS!



In my long journey to try to get some organization in my life as opposed to my normal coping mechanism that includes getting under an alternative down comforter and hiding and crying underneath a kitchen table...ALAS, my prayers have been answered!

Here we go! Try out of some of these "Purposed Prompts" along with me and let's see if we can rise from the ashes of clutter and passed deadlines! From the mounds of dirty dishes and diapers...from...okay you get the idea!

1. Laundry-Only one load at a time.  You must follow the cycle:Wash, dry, hang/fold, repeat! That is the only way to keep from having so many clothes on your bed, overflowing in baskets that you end up having to rewash EVERYTHING because you honestly cannot remember where the clean pile begins and the dirty pile ends.

For you over-acheivers out there, this may seem inefficient. That's what I thought too. Try it.

2. Schedule your study time- That way, you'll simply look forward to it all day. You can enjoy the time with your kids, and even cleaning your home becuase you are not feeling guilty about when can you slip in a page or two of the book your need to read or paper you need to write.

3. Read a Magazine- IT'S OK! I promise. Get your mind off of your every day stuff. Get some new ideas, whether it be a new outfit, recipe or a new method of using old lemon peels to save your dollars on high priced cleaners and deodorizing sprays.

 

4. Walk OFF from your electronic devices-Yep, do it. That text can wait, so can that email. So can that recipe. It can wait. I felt so liberated just walking away from my phone. I also left my laptop upstairs on my desk where it belonged. No dragging long cords all over the house so that I could have it at my disposal. Nope. It can wait. And it did. It waited until my 1 1/2 year old went down for a nap. Now I have both hands free to check out whatever I need to. Then it's up and to the park!

 

Does this mean that my house was spotless when my husband got home? NO

 

Does this mean that all of my laundry for the week was starched, pressed, and ready to go? NAH

 

Does this mean that I was in a much more tolerable and sane state of mind with a better understanding of what I could realistically acheive in a given period of time? DING DING DING, YES!