We live in a world of consumption, where life consists more in what we have than who we are. How do you want your children to view materialism? Psychologist Mary Pipher, author of The Shelter of Each Other, observes, "The propaganda that life is made much happier by purchases encourages adults and children to make bad decisions about their time and money. Children alternate between the belief that products will make them happy and a deep cynicism about the promises of the adult world." List five counter-cultural ways you can steer your children away from consumption and toward relationships.
--Mary E. DeMuth
This is part of Mary E. DeMuth's guided journal, "Creating the Family You Always Wanted," a 12-week journey in Christian parenting. Twice a week, you'll receive a new journaling prompt encouraging you to think about your family--and God--in new ways. Use these prompts in your own journal or in group discussion. If you're joining this journal mid-way through, you can start journaling at any time, and stay subscribed at the end, when the journal will restart and you can receive the prompts that you missed.
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Your call to list 5 ways to steer children away from consumption and towards meaningful relationships is well taken! We have taken up the challenge and have started a website which deals with this topic in depth. Please visit us at http://www.consumerismandkids.com where we explore this issue and many more! Thanks to Mary DeMuth for bringing this topic to the fore with this short but insightful posting!
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