Faith and Family — Learning to live simply: Ways to cultivate simple living in your home

1. Limit children’s exposure to television, Internet and radio commercials that encourage materialism.
2. Encourage children to delay a new toy until a birthday or Christmas.
3. Plan a local or international missions project in which the entire family can participate.
4. Deliver food baskets to local families or volunteer to help in a soup kitchen.
5. Demonstrate that you value people and experiences over material possessions. Your children may not remember the words you say, but they will notice how you spend your time and what you make a priority.
6. Plan a lemonade or hot chocolate stand to raise money for a local ministry or for orphans and widows. Involve children in all aspects of the fundraising, including giving the money.
7. Ask for donations for children in foster care rather than receiving birthday gifts.
8. Collect gently used items to donate to a local charity.
9. Schedule evening meals around the table together and make them a priority.
10. Find great joy in teaching your children skills that might enable them to lead a simple life in the future. Some examples include gardening, cooking, sewing, playing musical instruments, woodworking and projects around the house.

(Compiled by Carrie Brown McWhorter)

Other helpful resources:

“Becoming a Woman of Simplicity” by Cynthia Heald

“Real Simplicity” by Randy and Rozanne Frazee

“The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own” by Joshua Becker

“Money Secrets of the Amish: Finding True Abundance in Simplicity, Sharing and Saving” by Lorilee Craker

“Deliberate Simplicity: How the Church Does More by Doing Less” by Dave Browning