“Life can be rich without riches. And it can be full without a cupboard overflowing with toys or a drawer stuffed with computer games.”
Next week marks 10 years since I became a mother. Whilst I was overjoyed at having a healthy baby boy, (followed closely by a beautiful little girl just 16 months later), I recall feeling a crushing sense of responsibility and vulnerability during the early months of their lives. As Elizabeth Stone astutely said, “Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart walk around outside of your body.” My life, in an instant, had shifted from looking after only myself to being responsible for the physical, spiritual and emotional health of two young babies.
The prospect of this seemed positively overwhelming. How on earth could I guide them through the vagaries of life? I then realized simplicity was key. My childhood had been simple. Why shouldn’t theirs be too? As they grew and developed, I learned that there was no need to provide them with every whiz-bang bit of technology or fill their days to bursting with structured activities or toys.
Instead, I decided to steep their formative years in experiences that were simple, honest, loving, mysterious and practical – all coated with a layer of fun. And, of course, who better to help me with this than Mother Nature? She’s a brilliant, patient teacher and children are such willing students. She has an inexhaustible “props” box from which to draw. I began turfing my children outside to find their own fun and learn at their own pace and they rewarded me by doing this in spades.
If children have just one adult in their life who is willing to invest in them a sense of wonder whenever they step outside their front door, they will live an enriched life and enjoy a lifelong connection to nature.
With the rush of life, are we forgetting to teach our children how to do nothing and enjoy it? Are we breeding an expectation that their lives have to be a series of WOW moments? I tend to think so. Life can be rich without riches. And it can be full without a cupboard overflowing with toys or a drawer stuffed with computer games.
Kids WANT to spend time outside. So let them at it and they’ll find their own fun. That’s a promise.
Edited version of article written for Family Australia magazine.
Beautiful! It’s refreshing to read something that so accurately speaks to my take on things these days. Thank you for putting it into words. And congrats to you on 10 years, momma!
Well written, Caro and very timely.
BTW we use to use ladybug as icon for our site as well. I’m sorry you did not get around to comment on the my site. I have to find a better plug in for comments on my site.
Gorgeous post, Caro. The quote just says it all. The bigger, better, faster, MORE way of living is getting us all nowhere fast.
x Bethe
Well said! I couldn’t agree more. When I look back on my childhood – I’m grateful for the time i spent in nature with my family. I don’t remember many of my toys or clothes, but I do remember bushwalks, camping trips and simple family moments. I hope to provide my daughter a similarily simple childhood – although it is a challenge in today’s chaotic materialistic busy world.
beautifully put, and so true
“…they will live an enriched life and enjoy a lifelong connection to nature.” Powerful message within a lovely post, Caro.
That is a beautiful post and I especially love the quote which exactly explains how I feel about my children. Until you have a child you think you know love but once they are born there is a heart felt, sinking feeling of love that gets you straight in your soul. Your photos are gorgeous as always. Thanks
We’re staying at your farm and my 9 year-old son just came in and said he’d ridden a motorbike for the first time. “It was awesome!” He wants to stay longer. You practise what you preach Caro, we all love being here in the midst of nature, with your beautiful children.
I went for a walk up into the back paddock amidst the shimmering straw grass. The blue sky is vast and I come back down to chat, drink tea and cook gourmet food. You’ve got your priorities right. I don’t want to go back to the city and neither do my boys.
Thanks Frances, that means the world to me. x