protect your

child’s mental
health today
by simplifying childhood
with these 4 practical tips

T R ACY G ILLE TT
 SI MPL IF Y C HI L DHOOD
WITH T HE S E 4
GAME C HANG I NG T I P S
BY T RACY GI L L ET T

Content © Tracy Gillett, 2017. All rights reserved

Tracy Gillett is not a health professional. If your family requires medical advice please consult your
doctor or health practitioner.

W W W. R A I S E D G O O D . C O M
 H I , I ’M T RACY
N at ural Parent i ng Adv o cat e
+ Fo under o f Rai sed Go o d

We know that kids thrive with a simple childhood.

But, in our complex world providing simplicity
can feel like an impossible task.

A lifetime of cultural conditioning that ingrains the notion that more is better leads to a subconscious
belief that a full schedule equates to a fulfilled life. That automatically saying "yes" wins more friends
than admitting that sometimes what we really need is solace and space; that our bodies and souls need
our minds to say no.

When it comes to our children, it’s tempting to follow the crowd and believe that if we fill our kid’s
lives with activities, lessons and educational toys that we’re giving them the best start in life. But,
that’s simply not true.

What children need is an abundance of free time, because childhood serves a very real purpose. It’s
not something to rush through. It’s there to protect and develop young minds so that they can grow
into healthy and happy adults. When society messes too much with childhood, young brains react. By
providing a sense of balance and actively protecting childhood we’re giving our children the greatest
gift they’ll ever receive.

So, here are four practical tips to simplify your family life, to invite peace into your days and to
support your children’s growing minds.

W W W. R A I S E D G O O D . C O M
 1
S URR E NDE R TO
YOU R FOM O

Perhaps, of all the elements of simplifying childhood, simplifying schedules seems to be the one that
is met with the most resistance. It's a relatively easy thing to do; there are no secrets or special tips
you need to do it. It's as simple as paring back and saying NO.

I wonder if what stops us is fear; fear of missing out.

Fear that we may be impeding our children's future success.
Fear of what other's may think.
But, what if we rendered our fears powerless by choosing to focus on what we, and our children, stand
to gain rather than lose. As Joshua Becker, of Becoming Minimalist, says “Minimalism is the
intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us
from it. It is a life that forces intentionality.”

So, rather than viewing our actions as the rejection of an activity, let’s see it for what it is: an
invitation to welcome freedom, space, connection and spontaneity into our days.

Look in your diary for the coming week. Find the activity your child least enjoys and
ACTION

cancel it. Instead, use that time to be with your child. Ask them what they’d like to do –
give them control and go with it. Remember, we’re human beings, not human doings so
just be and observe how it makes you and your child feel. It may become addictive.

FURTHER READING: Is Simplicity the Antidote to Modern Parenthood?

W W W. R A I S E D G O O D . C O M 4.
 2
USE ANOT H E R
LOVE L ANGUAGE

They say there are five love languages; gift giving, words of affirmation, acts of service, quality time
and physical touch. We can experience love through all of these love languages but for most of us,
one or two will dominate.

In our capitalist society, I wonder if gift giving has become a dominant love language. Don’t get me
wrong, I am all for gift giving – it is a wonderful way to give and receive love. But, the other four love
languages are missing out; they're becoming endangered species in our most sacred relationships.

Let’s teach our children that

they don’t need to receive countless gifts
in order to feel loved.
And let’s satiate our own need to express love in other ways. It will ripple out into our lives in a
positive way; our homes will be less cluttered, our bank accounts will be healthier and our connection
with our kids will strengthen.

Choose one of the other four love languages this week and intentionally weave it into your day
ACTION

with your child. Spend quality one on one time together. Touch your baby – babywear, cosleep
and snuggle. Give your child a massage, curl up on the couch together with a movie. And as
cliché as it may sound, remember that the best give you can ever give your child is your time.

FURTHER READING: A Rallying Cry to End the Overwhelm of Toys

W W W. R A I S E D G O O D . C O M 5.
 3
GE T
OU T S I DE

Have you seen the short film Raising a Wild Child by the Born Wild Project? I eagerly anticipated
watching it in late 2016 as it tells the story of a handful of inspiring millennial parents who are
committed to connecting their young children with nature.

Shannon Robertson, a mother in the film, poignantly says that, “Outside everything slows down, the
speed limit slows down.” As a mother of a three-year-old I know exactly what she means.

Whenever I’m outside with my son, whether we’re playing in the snow,
searching for wor ms in our backyard or hiking in the mountains
the intensity our interaction is immediately dialed back.
Our world is changing at a rapid rate and in many ways, not for the better, especially when it comes
to childhood. Our children are facing a warming planet and waning lifespans. Rates of obesity,
mental and emotional health issues and chronic disease are soaring and crippling our kids.

But, its not all doom and gloom! Nature is the antidote. Mother nature can heal us and protect our
children. One of the primary causes of our children’s issues stems from a lack of time spent immersed
in nature, or as Richard Louv calls it: nature-deficit disorder.

Simple: grab a cuppa and watch the film Raising a Wild Child. It’s free and only 14 minutes long.
ACTION

And then get outside with your kids!

FURTHER READING: Preventing Nature-Deficit Disorder One Adventure at a Time

W W W. R A I S E D G O O D . C O M 6.
 4
LOSE YOU R S CR E E N

Like most parents, I find myself in a constant love hate relationship with screens. Sometimes, an episode or
two of Curious George buys me a much needed break in our day. But, inevitably I feel guilty. Am I ‘melting’
my son’s brain? Am I failing him?

The American Academy of Pediatrics report that children spend an average of seven hours a day on
screens, including television, devices, computers and phones. I’m sure you’ve read these statistics before.
After all you’d be hard pressed to find a parent who is unaware of the countless negative consequences
associated with screen time. Yet, it is one of the toughest parenting challenges and one that unites us all.

I’ll never forget when my son asked me for the first time to, “put the phone down
mama”. It stopped me in my tracks and was a monumental wake up call.
Even as adults, it hurts when we spend precious time with loved ones and they allow texts and emails to
distract them. We can’t help but wonder, are we less important than a screen? The last thing I want is for
my son to feel as though he’s competing with my phone. Children learn more from what we do than what
we say. I believe the most powerful influence we have as parents is to model the behavior we’d like to see in
our children. So, let’s reduce our own screen time first, before focusing on theirs.

It requires constant intention (and it isn’t easy) but here are a few things that have helped me. I don’t reply
to text messages immediately unless they’re urgent. Emails can wait and social media will be there later.
Out of sight, out of mind works well for me so I hide my phone…from myself.

There is no time like the present, so start today. They say it takes three weeks to break a habit
ACTION

so set yourself a 21-day challenge. Leave your phone at home when you go out as a family. Have
a social media free weekend. Or switch your phone off an hour before bed.

FURTHER READING: Trade Screen Time for Green Time

W W W. R A I S E D G O O D . C O M 7.
W W W. R A I S E D G O O D . C O M