The Simple Life

I have a hard time stomaching the nightly news. Murder, terrorism, sex crimes, theft, wildfires, floods, tornados...I just turn it off. I am not uninformed, don't misunderstand. I just want my small children to know what the world could be, before they learn what it truly is. 

All I want is the simple life, too much to ask??

Making bread, growing food, recycling waste, sewing, just the basics that's all I ask. These things are not hard to do. These tasks do however require turning off the xbox, ipad, or tv and going outside. It is so sad that many kids don't even go outside without prompting. My kids are outside kids, and I personally intend to keep it that way. We have built them a sandbox, great grass area, refinished our deck, put up a trampoline, gotten chickens to follow around, ride bikes, and make almost daily walks to local parks.

I currently have taken on summer babysitting for extra income. The little girl (age5) is so sweet and kind. We had a conversation the other day about when her dad will have days off work. She also knew his payday was coming up and that he had to pay his child support. This broke my heart. I sat her down and told her that was an adult thing to worry about. This is not an isolated case. Kids understand the world so much more than we give them credit for.

I know every household is run different and situations change, but let kids be kids while they can. Life goes too quick to put them into the throws of the real world any sooner than they have to. I am not telling you how to parent; I am simply observing that these kids are so impacted by the world and hold and protect them as long as you can.