I may have some bad news for you. All of those elaborate plans and things you desire to give your children, you just might want to rethink them because children tend to prefer simple!

Perhaps you were as shocked as I was to discover that not only do children prefer simple things, but they also tend to remember the simple things in life.

A Lesson Learned

A few years ago, we decided we had outgrown our home and were ready to move to a bigger and better one with a huge yard where our children could run and play freely. We were so excited as a family to watch our home being built from the ground up.

To our dismay, our present house sold almost instantaneously, which left us, so to speak, without a roof over our head. We had not anticipated being in a spot with three small children, a dog, and way too much stuff with no place to live.

My husband and I searched high and low for a place that could house us for a month with a dog. Finding a place was no easy task. We finally settled on a three-bedroom rental home with a month-to-month lease.

On Moving Day

On moving day, we loaded up and set out for our rental home. Of course, we had underestimated the amount of stuff we had accumulated. Upon arriving, we packed the garage and third bedroom, from floor to ceiling, with boxes and furniture. Left with no space to spare, we pushed and shoved our boxes wherever we could get them to fit.

With only two bedrooms left, we chose to put our little ones all into one room. At night, we would tuck the two into one bed, and our littlest one slept perpendicular to his sisters in his cute little race car bed.

We decided to keep it simple, so we packed everything away and left out only the bare necessities. After all, it was only going to be a month. We had five plates, five glasses, one container of toys, one television, and a limited selection of clothes.

Please do not judge, but I am going to admit it, I was stressed and didn’t know how to do “Simple.” I liked a little space, and we had none. Additionally, I appreciated being able to access my belongings, which were all neatly packed away. I liked the pictures on the walls, and the walls were bare.

As we went about our daily lives, the strangest things began to happen. The frustration and stress I was feeling began to lessen. Of course, one month turned into four months, birthdays came and went, holidays passed, and we all survived with limited fanfare.

We experienced life in a way we never knew possible nor would have ever tried.

We lived a simple life!

As a CPA this was the middle of tax season a time that usually brought an added pressure, limited time, and a lot of STRESS. Yet,

I found myself with an unexpected peace!

We found ourselves taking more walks, playing more games, and spending more time together.

The time finally arrived; it was time to move into our new beautiful home. Our new home was roomy, and the kids would all have their own rooms. My husband and I were so excited to be able to give our children this big beautiful home to grow up in.

However, guess what – my kids weren’t happy about the move.

They loved our little rental house where we were all stuffed in. My children loved the “simple” time we spent together. They didn’t yearn for their own rooms, nor did they want the toys that were packed deep in the garage. But instead, had grown accustomed to living a simple life, and they loved it. They enjoyed going to the park together to run free; the simplicity of only one plate and the bedtime rituals were pure joy when all three were tucked in together.

For years, when we would ask our children, “Which house was your favorite house?” The resounding answer was always – “our little rental house.”

I would love to tell you I have “simple living” mastered. I wish I did. However, I can say that when I allow myself to live, the results are always miraculous.

When I choose simple, I am rarely disappointed.

Embrace Simple Today!

I have also found that practicing living simply helps when unexpected things in life come your way. Being able to revert to a simple way of life has been crucial in navigating difficult circumstances. Through practice, I know I can accomplish simple tasks without falling apart.

Do not get me wrong; I still like elaborate and beautiful, but when the plans and desires begin taking a toll, I try to remember that “Simple is Good.” I have proof of this by listening to my grown children’s recollections of their childhood.

They have shown me over and over again by their words that the simple things in life are what are preferred and remembered.

What do you remember from your childhood? Do you remember the big, elaborate events and gifts or the small, simple things?