Books of Knowledge

About This Book

Today’s busier, faster, supersized society is waging an undeclared war . . . on childhood. As the pace of life accelerates to hyperspeed–with too much stuff, too many choices, and too little time–children feel the pressure. They can become anxious, have trouble with friends and school, or even be diagnosed with behavioral problems. Now, in defense of the extraordinary power of less, internationally renowned family consultant Kim John Payne helps parents reclaim for their children the space and freedom that all kids need, allowing their children’s attention to focus and their individuality to flourish.

Based on Payne’s twenty year’s experience successfully counseling busy families, Simplicity Parenting teaches parents how to worry and hover less–and how to enjoy more. For those who want to slow their children’s lives down but don’t know where to start, Payne offers both inspiration and a blueprint for change.

• Streamline your home environment. The average child has more than 150 toys. Here are tips for reducing the amount of toys, books, and clutter–as well as the lights, sounds, and general sensory overload that crowd the space young imaginations need in order to grow.

• Establish rhythms and rituals. Predictability (routines) and transparency (knowing the day’s plan) are soothing pressure valves for children. Here are ways to ease daily tensions, create battle-free mealtimes and bedtimes, and tell if your child is overwhelmed.

• Schedule a break in the schedule. Too many activities may limit children’s ability to motivate and direct themselves. Learn how to establish intervals of calm in your child’s daily torrent of constant doing–and familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of organized sports and other “enrichment” activities.

• Scale back on media and parental involvement. Back out of hyperparenting by managing your children’s “screen time” to limit the endless and sometimes scary deluge of information and stimulation.

Parental hovering is really about anxiety; by doing less and trusting more, parents can create a sanctuary that nurtures children’s identity, well-being, and resiliency as they grow–slowly–into themselves. A manifesto for protecting the grace of childhood, Simplicity Parenting is an eloquent guide to bringing new rhythms to bear on the lifelong art of parenting.

Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids
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Customer Reviews
Eloquent, Profound . . . and Practical   Review Date: September 15, 2009 Reviewer: Janet A. Byrne, If you consider yourself a thoughtful parent, pick up this book and see if you measure up to your own standards. You might be surprised to find that you still have a lot to learn--and un-learn. This is a book about de-toxifying your child's emotional atmosphere; about letting childhood unfold as it's supposed to. The case studies alone are some of the most eloquent distillations of childhood I've encountered in any twenty-first-century parenting book, the writing is precise and deft; the ideas, profound and revolutionary. The images--for example, of using giant trash bags to clear noisy "interactive" toys out of your child's bedroom posthaste--are practical and yet have a meaning that extends far beyond the literal. The message is simple--slow down, give yourself and your child time to think, get rid of meaningless static in the home--and the execution of the ideas is as pitch-perfect as the solutions are practical. In the last two decades, we've "enriched" our kids at every turn. We may now have a generation that's robotically up to speed on important issues like global warming, but what is the price kids pay for this onslaught of information? Is there a connection between information overload and the dramatic increase of 3- and 4-letter disorders and syndromes plaguing our kids? This is just one of the questions that Kim John Payne and Lisa Ross address in Simplicity Parenting. The answers they offer are as straightforward and user-friendly as any thinking parent could wish for. So many great ideas!   Review Date: September 16, 2009 Reviewer: Kate M, California This book is a godsend! My copy is already all marked up. It talks about all the stuff that surrounds kids--endless toys, choices, things to do--and what happens when you simplify. Basically, kids slow down. Their attention improves. I've seen this ALREADY! It gives support to those of us who question the idea of always running out and getting the newest thing--but meanwhile it has a lot of practical ideas about things you can do to make daily life less crazy. Honestly, I have told SO many people about this book already. The writing is beautiful. As a mother of a four year old boy, and a girl who's a preteen, I've gotten insight on both fronts! I highly recommend it....wish I had read SIMPLICITY PARENTING years ago!!! Practical and Inspiring   Review Date: October 1, 2009 Reviewer: Kathlynn Snyder, Pittsburgh, PA This is a terrific, thoughtful book that all parents should read. It is so easy to fall into the trap of "more stuff" when you are a parent. There are just so many toys, books, gears and gadgets that before you know it, your house is overflowing with stuff. This book is a wonderful response to that problem. It's a great blend of theory and practicality as they combine discussions of "soul fever" with clear strategies for decluttering your home and your life. I thought that the section on "environment," which deals with the overabundance of toys, was a useful refresher. It motivated me to take a good hard look at my daughter's mounds of stuffed animals and start paring it down. The sections on "rhythm" and "schedule" were also great. I was particularly struck by her examples of the noticeable impact it made on kids' behavior when more routine and predictability was introduced into their lives. And finally, the section on shielding your kids from some of the realities of the "adults world" absolutely blew me away. I grew up very much in the thick of parental discussions and it never occured to me that this might not be the environment I should aspire to create for my child. All in all a great read. Highly recommended. Best parenting book ever   Review Date: September 23, 2009 Reviewer: K. Miller, Easy ideas that make sense. The best parenting book I have ever come across. Kim John Payne's simple, compassionate, easy to understand (and implement) ideas will change your life. Learn how to slow down, Take back some dearly needed adult time, and truly connect with your child. I can't recommend this book and its ideas enough. I have a lot of parenting books, a lot of very good ones. This book distills all the good ideas I have liked in other similar books and presents them in one easy to read package. Thank you Kim John Payne for helping us simplify our lives so we could get past the clutter, the tantrums, the breakdowns, and the noise; and really take joy in each other. The Right Stuff   Review Date: September 21, 2009 Reviewer: Kelly Salasin, Southern Vermont Having just finished posting a parenting article on STUFF , I was heartened to read Kim John Payne's approach in this, his latest book: Simplicity Parenting. See Chapter 3 for a "10-Point Checklist" of types of toys to discard. Payne suggests getting rid of half of them--and then another half-- and maybe even another half! Payne's experience--as an educator, counselor and leading edge thinker--shows up on every page, as does his trademark humor and genuine compassion--not only for children, but for us parents too! It helps the medicine go down. What I have known in my heart about American children for a long time....   Review Date: October 23, 2009 Reviewer: N. Hale, Avon Park, Fl Kim John Payne has written a compelling, true book about what is wrong with childhood in America. The United States consumes 80 percent of the worlds Ritalin which is so alarming. Yet, although he makes an excellent case for the poor job we are doing to preserve childhood, he also gives inspiration for parents who want to parent differently. In order to give our children what they need, it will require swimming against the tide of popular culture, but arent our children worth the effort? Kudos to Mr. Payne and this excellent book!