Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids

by Kim John Payne

We are building our daily lives, and our families, on the four pillars of too much: too much stuff, too many choices, too much information, and too much

By reducing mental and physical clutter, simplification increases a family’s ability to flow together, to focus and deepen their attention, to realign their lives with their dreams.

“The central struggle of parenthood is to let our hopes for our children outweigh our fears.”

By seeing only tendencies, syndromes, and labels, we risk not seeing our children’s intrinsic intent, their deep biographical gesture in the world.

The truth is, what we do, instinctually, to care for our children when they’re sick could be boiled down to this: we simplify. This is exactly what we need to do when they are overwhelmed; stretched thin and stressed out by the effects of having too much stuff, too many choices, and jumping through their days too fast.