My sister and my brother in law have 2 children. Twins. I only give gifts to my sister and her husband. I no longer give gifts to the twins. They have so much and you know what? They don’t miss what they don’t have.
Going to stay with her family for 1 week and my gifts are:
1. A beautiful coffee-table guest book with gel pens (they host parties often)
2. A small chakra deck of cards for my sister.
3. A wooden set of coasters for my brother in law.
Thank you Aleksandra for posting this article. It resonated deeply, especially the idea that abundance without limits can dull appreciation. I love how you connect simplicity with emotional resilience and reverence.
One question I keep turning over: how do we navigate moments when the kids feel left out or compare themselves to peers who do seem to have everything? How do we help them hold onto that sense of "enough" in a world that constantly whispers otherwise?
Thank you so much for reading it. I think comparison is, at some point unavoidable. At that point, invoke feelings. Are we comparing material wealths or how living our lives makes us feel? When life feels full in emotion and capability, I think material wealth will seem less important. What I'm saying is that if we instill the values of less and some form of critical thinking in kids from early on, they are less likely to be 'seduced' by shallowness of the STUFF.
I love that perspective: shifting the focus from what we have to how we feel in our lives. That framing feels both grounding and empowering, especially for kids. Teaching them to recognize emotional richness as its own kind of wealth is such a beautiful goal. Life is simple but rich. Thank you again for sharing this.
This was so beautifully said — and so needed. I didn’t grow up with “rotations” or “enrichment” either (we had carrots to water and socks to re-darn), and I’ve been feeling that same tug-of-war now as a mom in a very different world. It’s such a tricky balance — wanting to give your kids joy and opportunity without numbing their sense of wonder.
I’m also writing on Substack about the chaos of parenting, and I’m really glad I found your space — it’s a breath of fresh air.
Yes, I hear parents who grew up the same as us say: "I want to give my child everything I didn't have", but the thing is that giving them everything isn't giving them what they need. How cliche yet fitting to say less is more.
I also loved that you linked stories in the end. I feel they are the best way for children to learn about morals and the difficulties of life. I'm writing about this at the moment.
My sister and my brother in law have 2 children. Twins. I only give gifts to my sister and her husband. I no longer give gifts to the twins. They have so much and you know what? They don’t miss what they don’t have.
Going to stay with her family for 1 week and my gifts are:
1. A beautiful coffee-table guest book with gel pens (they host parties often)
2. A small chakra deck of cards for my sister.
3. A wooden set of coasters for my brother in law.
And I don’t feel bad about it either. ☺️😘
Thank you for reading! Your time and attention is what they will remember from your visit, and that is a wonderful gift in itself 😊
Thank you Aleksandra for posting this article. It resonated deeply, especially the idea that abundance without limits can dull appreciation. I love how you connect simplicity with emotional resilience and reverence.
One question I keep turning over: how do we navigate moments when the kids feel left out or compare themselves to peers who do seem to have everything? How do we help them hold onto that sense of "enough" in a world that constantly whispers otherwise?
Thank you so much for reading it. I think comparison is, at some point unavoidable. At that point, invoke feelings. Are we comparing material wealths or how living our lives makes us feel? When life feels full in emotion and capability, I think material wealth will seem less important. What I'm saying is that if we instill the values of less and some form of critical thinking in kids from early on, they are less likely to be 'seduced' by shallowness of the STUFF.
I love that perspective: shifting the focus from what we have to how we feel in our lives. That framing feels both grounding and empowering, especially for kids. Teaching them to recognize emotional richness as its own kind of wealth is such a beautiful goal. Life is simple but rich. Thank you again for sharing this.
This was so beautifully said — and so needed. I didn’t grow up with “rotations” or “enrichment” either (we had carrots to water and socks to re-darn), and I’ve been feeling that same tug-of-war now as a mom in a very different world. It’s such a tricky balance — wanting to give your kids joy and opportunity without numbing their sense of wonder.
I’m also writing on Substack about the chaos of parenting, and I’m really glad I found your space — it’s a breath of fresh air.
Yes, I hear parents who grew up the same as us say: "I want to give my child everything I didn't have", but the thing is that giving them everything isn't giving them what they need. How cliche yet fitting to say less is more.
What a fab piece this is! Counter current essential reading. Bravo 🙌🏻❤️
You are so kind, I’m really surprised and a little bashful that my words traveled all this way.
Loved the read. I don't want this either.
I also loved that you linked stories in the end. I feel they are the best way for children to learn about morals and the difficulties of life. I'm writing about this at the moment.
Thank you, I hope you enjoy the stories. Got all of ours from the library. Looking forward to reading yours!
🙏
Love this!