Kids and Commercialism

Tonight I spoke at our local chapter of Holistic Moms Network about "Parenting in a Commerical Culture". We had a great turnout and a lively discussion about the challenges facing parents in a culture where advertisers are actively fighting for your child's mind. Much of the conversation centered around television viewing and the merchandising of cartoon characters. It was clear that everyone felt the pressure to conform to mainstream culture, but that they were taking steps to push against it. I am very fortunate to have such mindful and intelligent mamas to bounce ideas off of and turn to for support. Here are some action tips on this topic from the New American Dream*:

• Get rid of the TV.
• Expose kids to other media - surrealist films, conceptual art exhibits (carefully selected), gatherings of interesting adult friends with non-mainstream stories to tell.
• Remove the logos from clothes, theirs and yours. Talk with kids about why you're doing this. Suggest to kids to design their own, personal logos.
• See a wonderful passage on commercialism and consumerism by Brian Swimme
• Parents who resist consumerism for themselves are the ones who teach their children to resist it.
• Teach children to be doers and creators rather than shoppers and buyers.
• Supply them with sidewalk chalk, old cardboard boxes and other makings of creative play.
• Grow your own food. Involve the kids. Teach your child of the connections within the natural world. Experience their beauty together. Talk about where things come from, who made them, what they are made of.
• Teach by example and conviction a set of values that allow kids to make their own choices.
• Teach kids empathy for others. Instead of buying toys, suggest they spend the money bringing some groceries to the local food bank.

*I used a handout from New American Dream that was full of great resources, websites, etc. They are a really neat grassroots organiziation on a mission. Check them out!

Blissfully Happy

The stats:

From 1667 square feet TO 478 square feet From 3 bedrooms TO 1 bedroom. From a table that could seat 8 TO a table that seats 3. From a 2-story house TO a 3rd floor walk-up. From 5 closets TO 2 closets. From $230 a month utility bill to $21 a month. From a large, adorable, high mortgage house TO a little, adorable, cheap apartment.

We are blissfully happy in our new apartment. The smallness. The ease. The togetherness. We love it. We have gotten rid of so much WEIGHT this last year. Debt, belongings, household responsibilites. Every time I walk up 3 flights of stairs, I am reminded of our choices and how happy I am about it. Even with a 27 lb. toddler on my back. Now that's happy. Another great thing is that Matt is completely on the same page and loves it as much as I do.

Things I LOVE about living smaller: *Everything has a place. *It forces me to be creative with our use of space. *I donate things regularly to clear more space. *I don't have to wonder where Bella is. *I don't have to yell downstairs to Matt. *I only have things that I love around me. *I feel light and free. *I am not overwhelmed with housework. *I have a smaller ecological footprint.

Things I LOVE about our apartment: *The sound of the wind through the trees outside our windows. *The feel of community. I have great neighbors. *Old brick building = great sound barrier. *Brand new laundry machines in a bright basement. *Everything is bright. *We are so close to everything. *It's a beautiful historic neighborhood...great for going on walks. *It's so fast to the freeway. *It takes less time to get to my parent's house on the other side of town.

Ok, c'mon Sara...you can't love EVERYTHING! Fine...you're right, there are a few things that I wish were different. *I can't paint the walls. *Sometimes if people are smoking outside, you can smell it upstairs. *My shower needs more water pressure. *There isn't an easy recycling option.

That's it. I pretty much love it. I even love the on street parking. Don't mind it a bit. It's fun...and I never have to park more than a 1/2 block away.

I've created a little photo tour for you. There are lots of notes on the photos. you just have to "mouse over" the image to get them to appear. You can also leave comments (hint hint...I love comments). SO...come on up to the third floor and have a cup of tea with me!

Living Smaller

Many of you know this already, but we are getting ready to move to a smaller apartment (we've sold our house)...so that we can fully focus on paying off student loans and living more simply. Living more simply...those words mean different things for everyone. It doesn't have to mean giving up all the things you enjoy. Or only eating beans and rice. Or never going on vacation again. Or getting rid of all your possessions. It's just about deciding what is important in your life, and aligning your priorities to match. As you examine your life, you will probably realize that many things you thought you "needed"...you really didn't need.

For us, downsizing our living space allows us to spend more time doing what we love to do. Instead of spending hours cleaning, we can spend hours at the park having a picnic. Instead of spending money on a large mortgage payment, we can live in a smaller space and use the extra money to achieve the financial freedom we desperately long for. Making sacrifices now helps us achieve our dreams for later.

This journey started over a year ago, when we discovered Dave Ramsey. We listened to Dave on the radio, read his books, etc. We were able to pay off all of our credit cards, our car, and other random debts. The only debt we still have is student loans. Some people think that student loans are "supposed" to be around forever, but I totally disagree. There is a tremendous emotional drain that comes with that kind of debt. That's why we are choosing to knock it out over the course of the coming year.

We are getting rid of most of our possessions...and all of our debt. I can feel the lightness already! And now, one last note for those of you who are saying..."I could never do that!". Look at your current living arrangements, your possessions and your spending. Do you ever use your extra bedroom? Do you really need 4 bathrooms in your house? Do you need 6 pairs of jeans? Do you need that latte everyday? Do you really have to work 80 hours a week just so you can have everything your heart desires? It does take some soul searching to make changes, but it's so worth it in the end. Go simple!