How do you practice the art of “Simplicity” in your Parenting Journey?

No serious runner goes running with a heavy backpack.

Krysty Kwally
Life and Parent Coaching
5 min readJan 5, 2021

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Let’s take a brief look at what simplicity is in the context of your parenting journey. What is simplicity, and why is it worth you taking the time to ponder on it?

Well, here are a few definitions for the word simplicity from the Free Dictionary Website.

Simplicity:

  • Freedom from deceit.
  • Clarity of expression.
  • Freedom from complexity.
  • Absence of complications.

Living in an era of endless information and the latest technology makes it very easy to feel overwhelmed and lost at the loads of data that comes at us. There are so much noise, so many opinions and facts that are being thrown at us regularly.

Everyone thinks they have discovered the next big break and solution to your specific issues, especially your parenting journey. How do you know who deserves your attention? How do you filter the good from the bad? How can you be sure that you are doing the right thing in your parenting journey? So many questions, so much data and information out there, and yet you still feel lost, overwhelmed, frustrated, and confused so often. How come?

Could it be time that you pause long enough and take a good look at what has been going on in your parenting journey and decide what is not serving you anymore and let it go?

Life is already full of hardships. In your parenting journey, you will experience different seasons of trials, turmoils, and difficulties. These are facts that will never change as long as we are here on planet earth. The Bible says that we are in a race, that life is a race, and in this race of life, we will take on different roles, positions,s and statuses to varying seasons of this race. So, as a parent, you know you only have eighteen to twenty years with your children until they leave and engage in their race.

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A runner in a race will not want to have any weight of any kind while running if the goal is to win. Why? Any extra burden will cause the runner not to perform well and potentially lose the race. In 1 Corinthians 9:24–27, the apostle Paul tells us that in the race of life, everyone is a runner, but only one gets the prize, so run in such a manner to be that one (emphasis added).

The question is, what unnecessary loads or weights are you carrying around if your parenting journey, loads bound to hinder you, slow you down, and even cause you and your children harm in the long run?

Take a moment, sit down with your spouse and together talk it over and determine the “stuff” or “loads” that you have allowed to infiltrate your life as parents. Then, ask yourself, “How would my parenting journey be different if a simplified it, and what does simplicity means to me?”

Keeping the different definitions of simplicity in mind:

*Freedom from deceit: Is there a pattern of little white lies, dishonesty, and hypocrisy in our parenting?

*Clarity of expression: Do you find it hard to assert your authority as a parent? Are you and your spouse on the same page about how to parent? Is there a lack of consistency in how you operate with your children overall?

*Freedom from complexity: As a parent, do you find yourself often fall into the comparison trap with other parents? How often do you feel overwhelmed and frustrated by your children’s everyday activities? What is the end goal for these tasks?

*Absence of complications: What have you been holding on to that is not serving you anymore? Have you set healthy boundaries in your parenting journey?

Here are a few steps to follow regarding practicing the art of simplicity in your parenting journey.

Step #1: Prioritize what matters most to you as a parent.

Embracing simplicity involves keeping the first things first. Life is too short to waste time. Money and effort on things that do not fit who you are and what you stand for as parents. Prioritizing gives you the freedom to do what you love and allows you to spend intentional quality time with your family.

Step # 2: Work together with your spouse.

“Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?” Amos 3:3

One of the reasons why so many parents experience turmoils in their parenting journey is the failure to work as a team. Unfortunately, as a parent coach, I have seen so many parents operating as competitors or rivals in their parenting journey. So, when it comes to applying simplicity, the key here is the be a glued team as parents — having shared values, dreams, principles, and vision — no room for unnecessary complications.

Step # 3: Lead by example.

Children are what they lived. Children are like sponges, and they soak on everything. You ought to be your children’s role model. Whether you are aware of it or not, your life as a parent is profoundly influencing your children, and you might not even see how deep until later on.

The whole concept of “Do as I say and not as I do” is one way to do more harm than good to your children’s character. Be a parent of integrity, truth, honesty, and loyalty.

Simplicity has no room for complexity, deceit, complications, and confusion. Give yourself room to breathe, to laugh, to enjoy every stage of your parenting journey. Let go of the loads, and they are in your way of finding serenity, peace of mind, and joy as a parent.

I hope this was beneficial to you.

Until next time,

With love Krysty.

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Krysty Kwally
Life and Parent Coaching

Hi everyone! My name is Krysty. Just a random immigrant woman who enjoys writing articles about marriage, singleness, parenting, faith in God and much more..