Have you ever heard the quote, attributed to Jesse Jackson, "Children need our presence, not our presents."? How about this one, attributed to Abigail Van Buren: "If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time, and half as much money." With the holiday season approaching, the world seems to tell us that we should buy more for our children. It also seems to tell us that we should buy them lots of toys with bells, whistles, and batteries. Buying more, and buying toys that do more, seems to be the cultural trend. But is this what is best for our children. My answer is NO!!! Consider these points:
1. Children thrive in an environment that is decluttered and simplified. A decluttered home, as well as a decluttered schedule, is best for children and their families. It is important for children to have open, decluttered space to play freely and deeply. It is also important for children to have an open schedule, with plenty of choice, plenty of "down time", and plenty of unstructured activity. So add fewer toys to your household and fewer structured activities to your schedule. Set aside time that is completely free of chores and obligations. Allow children to stay in pajamas, take their time, and spend some quality time with the ones they love the most - you! 2. Too many toys is bad for play. Children play better when they have fewer choices for play activities. 3. Even the toys themselves should be simple! Toys that do everything for the child do not allow the child to use creativity in their play. Take for example a train set that is self-propelled, battery-operated, and makes "choo choo" noises as it goes around a circle track. Compare this to a set of wooden train tracks that can be built in limitless variations and forces the child to move the train and make the train sounds. Which of these is better for creative play and brain development? 4. The best "toy" a child could ever have is his or her parents! Children would much rather play charades with their mom and dad than be left alone to play with a new toy! ' So this holiday season, choose gifts carefully (less is more!), choose experiences rather than material things, and spend time together, rather than sharing things together. Your experience, and your child's, will be happier, more meaningful, and better for development and well-being!
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AuthorHi, I'm Brie Krentz, and I'm the School Psychologist at HGECC. I care about the social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health of all of our children, and I believe in Conscious Discipline as a way to minimize behavior problems and to help children connect meaningfully with others. Archives
October 2021
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