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Parents rejoice! You really don’t have to buy all those toys. A recent Oxford University study of 3000 children aged 3 to 5 years found that those whose parents spent more time interacting with them performed better in school as well as social and emotional development than those who had more toys and electronics. In fact, too many toys can overwhelm and distract kids, making them lose the concentration needed in learning. I find that this happens with adults too. When I have too much clutter in my home, I feel cluttered in my mind too, and unable to concentrate. The small high I might feel after shopping quickly dissipates as I deal with the packaging from my purchases and having to shuffle around all my things. More stuff also seems to directly correlate with my unhappiness, and research backs this up. Thomas Gilovich, a psychologist at Cornell University found that people who are thinking about experiences they are going to have, like a vacation or going to a concert, have higher levels of happiness than those who are thinking about spending money on things. There are a lot more studies with similar outcomes showing that connection with others and doing things is highly predictive of whether or not someone is happy. That gives me something to smile about!
Today’s challenge: Focus on being instead of having. Consider giving experiences for gifts like movie or concert tickets, membership to a museum, a cooking class, or a trip. Make an effort to be present with your children or significant other and do things together like taking walks, sharing a meal, baking, gardening, or any other activity you enjoy. Valuing presence in the world, relationships with family and friends, and connection to nature can reduce stress lifelong and lead to a happier community. This is a really good lesson to teach your kids. The plastic reduction comes by raising a child who is not focused on consumerism.
That is a good finish to the segment on consumption and shopping. What has been the overall theme? Buying less = less plastic. Increased happiness and less stress are great side effects. This really represents what my Green Life Philosophy is all about, that being kind to the environment is good for you too. We are now into our last week of challenges and there are just a few more topics to cover before we wrap it all up. You are almost there, keep going!!
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