Reading this title on the front cover of The Week this week made me partly leap for joy. Which might make you wonder why. Because finally I feel that people are beginning to wake up to the emotional damage that our current lifestyles are doing to our children. Our current culture seems to be all about over indulging our children on every level, partly I believe out of guilt, out of our own insatiable appetite for wanting more and more 'things'. When are people going to wake up and realise that our children don't need or want 'things' in order to emotionally thrive, but just good old fashioned quality time with their parents, mucking about in the garden, being creative, spontaneous, exploring nature and so on?
I go on about emotions because at the end of the day I believe that if we are emotionally stable we are fundamentally happy and this certainly doesn't come from material wealth. I feel that the need for wanting more things in life has become an addiction which is very hard to let go of when we are surrounded by constant advertising tempting us to become like this person, or look like that or you must get this because it will make you happier. Rubbish.
So the next time your child cries and you want to give them something to cheer them up, or you want to buy them a present because you are feeling guilty that you haven't spent enough time with them, just stop and ask your self what do they need right now? My answer would be your presence and not your presents.
xx
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