"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Ferris Bueller
The family calendar is so full that you can barely read it. There are half words and illegible numbers, cross outs and rain dates. And there is one scribble for tomorrow that you can’t read at all. You hope that no one misses a critical appointment.
National Simplicity Day may be over, but really any day you decide to take. break can be YOUR Simplicity Day!
What do you need? A new calendar? Not necessarily. You might consider celebrating National Simplicity Day!. American philosopher Henry David Thoreau, born on July 12, 1817, has some ideas to help your calendar situation.
Thoreau said that “Our life is frittered away by detail …simplify, simplify.” Taking his own advice, he spent two years, two months, and two days living near Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. “We can never have enough of nature,” he decided.
Today’s adults might try to escape the clutter and details of family life by taking a vacation or buying a book that tells you how to organize your drawers. Unfortunately while you are repacking kitchen cabinets, the kids are disorganizing the rest of the house. What to do?
Life can sometimes be too busy, too cluttered, with too many notes on the social calendar. So we’re going to work on appreciating the small things, the simple joys. It was the Little Prince in the book by Antoine Saint-Exupéry who learned that essential things in life are invisible. They are felt with the heart.
It might take some planning, but here are some ideas to try with the children on July 12 this year, National Simplicity Day:
- On this day (or even for a couple hours) don’t use phones, tablets, or video games. This time is unplugged.
- Go outside in nature. Take a hike in your neighborhood, or on a local hiking trail. Collect interesting rocks or pieces of grass. (For safety keep the muted cell phone in your pocket and allow no rock throwing.)
- Simplify expectations. You might bring along drawing materials, which could be totally ignored. The children could be looking at tree bark. That’s okay.
- Clean out the unworn clothes, the massive pile of toys, and the unimportant parts of that calendar.
- Take an adventure trip to the dump or recycling center. Simplify life by getting rid of things in responsible ways.
- Talk about or take pictures (it’s ok to take your phone out for this one) of that spider web or the bee on a flower to help remember your simple day.
Book references:
Walden, Henry David Thoreau (Simon & Schuster)
The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (Wordsworth Children’s Classics)
Looking for a new place to walk on National Simplicity Day, July 12? We’ve got you covered!
Pelham:
Frederic Cutler Merriam Conservation Area, Shelburne Road (hike, walk, bike, dogs allowed)
Londonderry:
Londonderry Rail Trail, Harvey Road (paved paths, parking lot available)
Derry:
Hood Park, 4 Rollins Street (short walks, water views, playground)
Windham:
Windham Rail Trail, 7 Depot Road (paved paths, railroad car on view)
Hudson:
Benson Park, 19 Kimball Hill Rd (trails, benches)
Salem:
Salem Bike-Ped Corridor, (paved paths, parking lot available)
NEED FAMILY HIKING TIPS? CHECK OUT OUR ARTICLE ON HOW TO HIKE WITH TODDLERS!
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