I've been thinking about that saying "All things in moderation." Next time someone says it to me, I think I might just ask them: "Do you mean we should have joy in moderation? Should we have peace in moderation? Kindness in moderation? Patience in moderation? Forgiveness? Compassion? Humility?"It's saved at Focus, Hobbies, Obsessions, because too often a parent wants to measure what a child loves, to say "too much."Honestly, I used to think it sounded like a very wise and balanced philosophy. Now, the more I think about it the less sense it makes.
Here's something by Colleen Prieto
(in response to ..."in moderation as I've hopefully instilled in them"...)
I hope I have instilled a sense of abundance, not moderation, in my 11 year old. I hope he will love, enjoy, think, create, eat, sing, play, read, watch, go, see, and do in whatever amount or volume makes him smile. I hope he will never look at an opportunity, or a person, or a cookie, and think "I'd really like to do that, or hang out more with him, or try that" and then stop himself because his goal is moderation rather than happiness.I cannot fathom wanting my son to have Less of whatever brings him joy. Because as far as I know, he will only live once - and I want that life - his life - to be amazing. Not mediocre, or moderate, or almost-good-enough. I want it to be fantastic. Fantastic!!
Everything in moderation... no. Not everything. Not very many things at all. Bad things at the minimum, good things to the maximum, and hopefully not much at all sitting sadly in the in-between 😊
Colleen Prieto
June 11, 2014 and on the Abundance page
photos are links
|
If a medium is the priority, life will be a little different than if happiness if the priority. So even when you use a term like "happy medium" try to be mindful of what you're saying, and what your principles are.Mindfulness in Unschooling It helps to hear what you say (read what you write) as clearly as you can. And then to hear what you think, about your children and your life, as clearly as you can.
(from Chat with Sandra Dodd on Mommy Chats, 4/25/07)
Titles created for free at cooltext.com