Challenge I am completing: No Personal Purchases For One Year
In January 2022 I mentioned on Trending Tuesday that I had set a goal of zero personal purchases for one year. This challenge was set in reaction to my belief that the world has become far too materialistic. Well, the final tally for the past 365 days is in and I have spent a total of $200 on myself. To be clear, this was money spent on non-essential purchases. The result was not perfect, but it was a massive improvement over previous years. Overall, this process made me aware of a few things. One, the people who I care about absolutely DO NOT care what clothes I wear, old and very used are just fine. Two, I was previously preoccupied with shopping for things, whether I needed them or not, almost constantly. And three, I don’t regret NOT buying anything from the past year. If you are wondering what I did buy, it was the following; a pair of hiking boots, a Joshua Tree T-shirt when we visited the national park (which was promptly eaten by my washing machine and made unwearable), and a package of socks and underwear. If in evaluating yourself, you decide that you too have a shopping challenge, I strongly encourage you to try to go one month without buying anything that is not completely necessary. My sincere hope is that it will provide you with similar insight as I have gained and you will want to continue beyond the one-month mark!
Book I am reading: Hunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen Ducleef
In evaluating my own children, spending time with their friends, and in hearing stories about my patient’s children I have become concerned about the strategies and belief systems we are using to raise the next generation. In my opinion, kids seem fragile, disconnected, and unprepared to deal with the harsh realities of the real world. In an attempt to find a better mindset and tactics, I began listening to Ducleef’s text. The author, a mother of a three-year-old, seeks to find improved parenting strategies by seeking out mothers from different cultures from around the world. Getting kids to help with chores without nagging, taking an active role in family communication, and stopping spending all their time watching a screen are all challenges Ducleef addresses in her book. I believe it is not too late for our young ones. I also believe it is the parent’s responsibility to step up and do what is necessary to create the environment our kids need to help them thrive. If you are looking for answers, as I am, this book may be a great place to start!
Quote I am repeating: “Children don’t see a difference between adult work and play. Parents don’t need to know how to play with kids. If we get kids involved in adult activities, that’s play for kids. And then they associate chores with a fun positive activity. They associate it with playing.” ~ Michaleen Doucleff in Hunt, Gather, Parent
Personally, I don’t feel that children need a ton of toys in order to be happy. Rather, I have found that by incorporating my children into my everyday tasks, they seem to be far more interested and use these activities as a way to learn real-life skills. Making dinner, doing the dishes, putting out the trash, cleaning up after pets, and doing yard work are things my boys and I do TOGETHER every week. I am not a parenting expert by any stretch, but my gut tells me that instead of shielding our children from these tasks, we need to help them see that these are some of the ways they can contribute to the overall well-being of the family. This week, I encourage you to get your children involved in taking care of their home, their health and in communicating with each other!
Have a kick ass week everyone!
In Health,
Dr. Devin Shea, DC
