There is a lot of energy behind the concept, “thoughts create.” But that’s fuel for another topic. I only bring it up because I shy away from the term “recession” as an identifier for our current times. It’s not that I’m sticking my head in the sand, and it’s not that my family has been unaffected by the economic events of the last couple of years. In fact, my experiences are on par with the average American. What is different, is that I believe we are not in a downward spiral of economic disaster. Instead, I believe we are going through a period of re-balancing.
During this re-balancing period I believe all of us are learning to adjust to a simpler way of life. It is rarely disputed that we had become a rather gluttonous society. Let me clarify, I’m all about creature comforts, spa treatments, retail therapy etc. But I have found that many parents had been over-indulgingtheir children’s every wish. And not because their child was deprived in any way, but because parents tend to look at their child’s life and apply adult needs and desires.
Let me explain. . .there is a magic that children possess, that as adults we lose for a period of time, and that magic is the ability to see wonderment and awe in everything. When we are constantly indulging our kids, they quickly give up this ability to be inspired, in favor of instant gratification and placating their own egos. If this were to continue, we create a society of children who stop listening to their heart and only honor their egos. There is more than one reason that drug abuse and teen pregnancy have been on the rise in the last few decades.
Last my family attended a friend’s high school graduation–it was amazing what my children took note of. At the end of the ceremony, 600 royal blue mortar boards flying into the air literally took my 10 -year old’s breath away. For one moment in time I got to see an event that I have come to anticipate with little excitement as one of the most wonderful and awe-inspiring gifts because I got to see it with the “site” my son possesses.
Kids even as old as 13 and 14 can see wonder and amazement in everyday life simply because they have not experienced all of the things that ultimately jade us as adults. But what I have noticed in my practice, is that more and more children are coming in with adult concerns and LOTS of entitlement issues but very little ability to be inspired by everyday events. This is because overworked parents see their child struggling in some way, stressed out with friends or school, and they then apply their adult perspective and immediately indulge the child the way they, as an adult, might want to be indulged. Remember that a walk around the neighborhood, a trip to the park, dinner in front of the child’s favorite movie, or even toasting marshmallows are all events that would be as rewarding and significant to a child as a trip to Princessland. After all, there is real magic in these moments, not something fabricated with light shows and joysticks.
As society re-balances and we make more conscious decisions about where to spend our money, let’s celebrate. Let’s celebrate the magical moments everyday. And when we as adults take time to see the world through our children’s eyes, we remember that what we need to be happy and content is generally right in front of us and costs little to nothing to experience.
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