Children and Stress: The Reset Button and Simplicty Parenting

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This picture depicts our feelings after the busy holiday season.  After Hanukkah, Advent, Christmas and New Years Eve, we were exhausted.

 

We are still paying the price.  

 

Going back to school after the holiday season, Mira has been off.  All the signs we are seeing have led my husband and I to believe that she is suffering from stress.   

 

The stress could be related to many things--job changes in our family, an upcoming trip to Europe, looking for schools for kindergarten,  too many things on our plate.  But, if you ask my opinion,   I think a lot of it stems from coming down from the busy holiday season.   I have noticed that many of my friends are in the same boat.  

 

One friend of mine talked about setting a "Reset" button.  I LOVE that concept. 

 

And that's exactly what we've doing--spending WAY more time at home, cutting down on our schedule and trying to be as peaceful and serene as is possible.    We are already seeing the stress level go way down.  

 

I was telling another friend about our recent family stresses and she suggested I read the book   Simplicity Parenting  by Kim John Payne and Lisa Ross.  

 

I felt a huge sense of calm as I read the first chapter of the book.    I also, admittedly, felt a sense of shame (a parent coach with a stressed out child--gasp).   

 

 Our life is filled with too much stuff, too much of everything--toys, social engagements, activities.   In part, this is because of my own personality and that I thrive on activity and busyness.  But, on a good note,  I am always striving for balance and this book helped me see that the holiday season put us way off kilter.     It helped me see the need to simplify while ALSO honoring my love of activity.     I am not going to be a simple person or parent, it is just not my personality, but I can still become very conscious of the daily choices we make.   

 

One of the best concepts in the book is that you can always RESET.  What this means is that any time you have a child of any age who is suffering from stress (no matter the age), take three days to be with them.  No school.  No sports.  Nothing but enjoyable time with the family.  This can reset any stresses and also has the added benefit of time--so that some of the things stressing out your child may come out naturally over the course of those three days.  

 

I am definitely tucking this one into my brain and I hope we will use this strategy often.    

 

Below you will see the website that has more resources on Simplicity Parenting and of course a link to the book.   

 

I would love to hear from you.  Has your child had challenges recovering from the busy holiday season?  What do you think of Simplicity Parenting.

 

 

 

http://www.simplicityparenting.com/