Life is fleeting and changeable. At a certain stage, we decide to try something new. Or abandon the old. For example, vegans - strict vegetarians, refuse not only meat, but also leather and fur items, cosmetics tested on animals. And the slogan “Less is more”, popular among minimalists, is gaining more and more supporters. Well, if the home with you at the same time. And if not? Do you convert family members to your “new faith”? And how to attract them to your side?
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You are a minimalist. The rest too?
"Minimalism" has become popular in recent years.the desire of people to be content with a minimum set of things and objects in everyday life. This is a philosophy of consciously rejecting excesses, unconscious consumption imposed on us by insidious marketers. Dozens of bloggers on social networks talk about “decluttering” their things, agitate to take part in “year without purchases” marathons and end “toxic” relationships. Having watched such motivating relay races, you want to start living in a new way. For example, throw out 101 old T-shirts of your husband, refuse to buy another Chinese toy for your child or stop communicating with your mother-in-law. But there is one “but”. As a result of such “military actions”, you risk being left completely alone. If you do not understand that the decision to live by certain rules concerns only you. Psychologists associate this moment with the awareness of boundaries. Your own and other people's. The decision to throw out or give away things that you have stopped using is your right. If these are your personal things. And only you used them. For example, clothes. No one can forbid you to throw away your old jeans or sell your fox fur hat. But you also have no right to encroach on your husband’s or children’s personal belongings without their consent. “Seven pairs of jeans and shirts on vacation is the norm for my husband. Yes, I wash and iron them. But he wears them. Both the jeans and the suitcase they are in. And I stopped arguing about this before each trip. I realized that “minimalism” is also about refusing “unnecessary” conflicts,” Victoria shares her story. Things are more difficult with shared items. Here you need to negotiate. And if the parties take opposite positions, it is better to leave everything as is. At least for a while. A proponent of minimalism, psychotherapist, and part-time father of two, Alexander Nekrasov is convinced that minimalism and children are quite compatible. “We try to show our child our life principles by our own example,” Nekrasov expresses his opinion. — As for clothes, the minimalist approach doesn’t even have to be introduced into her life – she uses it herself, according to her own desires. My daughter loves to participate in decluttering. As a rule, she can clearly say what she wants to keep and what she will use, and what she is not interested in and does not need at all.”
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Vegetarianism. To eat or not to eat?
The kitchen is also a common area.Therefore, if you have decided to become a strict vegetarian, and for you it is not a diet, but a philosophy, the main principle of which is “do not kill”, try to explain this to your family. And do not forget that eating meat is their right. “Fortunately, there were no disagreements about vegetarianism in our family. My husband was the first to give up meat. And then I did. But we eat fish 2-3 times a week. By the way, our 7-year-old daughter does not eat meat either. Not because we do not give it to her, but because she does not like it. Since early childhood,” Olga shares her story. “The hardest thing is to take the child to visit. When offered a treat, our 6-year-old Dima, as a rule, answers: “Thank you, I'm not hungry.” But as soon as someone finds out that the child is a vegetarian, reproachful looks and bewilderment immediately begin: “How is that possible! "A child needs meat", - and other "truths" that are far from scientific, - says Tamara. By the way, modern pediatricians believe that children can be vegetarians. But here parents should be aware: the deficiency of vitamin B-12, iron and some others should be replenished. The child should be regularly shown to the doctor, who, if necessary, will prescribe multivitamin complexes. "Re-educating" adults is a thankless task. But we can raise children in the spirit of our convictions. Only for this we need fortitude and patience. Here we come to the main thing: vegetarianism and minimalism are not only about following certain rules in the kitchen or at home. It is a way of life, a worldview, a philosophy. And it is important to pass on the basics of this worldview to children. Teaching a child a life philosophy, love for one's neighbor and the commandment "do not kill" is much more important than following a diet and order. In the first place is harmony in the family, in the second place is order in the kitchen or in the wardrobe. Teach your children to take care of themselves, to organize their leisure time. Instead of spending weekends in restaurants and shopping malls, visit museums, go skating with the whole family in the park or start the morning in a pool with sea water - a great healthy alternative. Show your children that there is always a choice in life. And the choice is theirs.
