Having kids will make being a minimalist difficult. But with proper guidance you can maintain some living minimally while not restricting your children of anything they need.
Communication
Talk with your child/children about minimalism. Havea conversation with your children and teach them about the benefits of minimalism. It can help them better understand it as they grow older.
You are the person your children aspire to be. When they see your actions it can have a profound impact on them. You lead by example and that’s the first step in showing your children the importance of being clutter free.
Rules
Have rules. Having rules shows your children that this is something that should be taken serious. Help your child clean up instead of giving orders to clean up.
Children especially teens love to rebel. I’ve been there and listening to your parents “nag” can be off putting. Show your child that you care by helping them do the chores. This will eventually lead to them being comfortable doing it without you asking them to do it.
This part is for those who have young kids/toddler.
Fewer toys to play with means they will have more focus on the toys they have. My child had a lots of toys and he does not play with all of them. If he does, it’s for a few minutes. It may get lost under the chair where it will remain until you clean there.
I decided to limit the amount of toys he had. I noticed he was more attentive with them. That’s because he had more time to focus on the fewer amount of toys.
What I do now is let him play with the few toys and after a few weeks or moths replace those toys with newer toys. I either donate the older toys or just recycle them since it’s mostly plastic.
This in my opinion is more efficient. It also saves you money in the long term. You have a grasp on what you buy and how you spend. As parents we always want to buy our kids toys but buying them more selectively I think is a better option overall.
If you have teenagers/young adults this can be a bit easier. I don’t have teenager as yet but hopefully I can continue influencing my young one to keep on living minimally for the sake of healthier lifestyle. Assuming you have a good relationship with your teenager, talk to them about the benefits of minimalism. This will give them a roadmap to live a better lifestyle once they are fully independent.
Having fewer things to deal with will give them the focus to make better decisions. I remember when I was a teenager and the copious amount of clothes and sneakers and other various device I had, took away from my focus.
I believe the smartest and easiest way to accumulate wealth is by saving and investing. The more money you have saved the better risk u can take investing in your future. Whenever you borrow money, you are borrowing from your future self because you have to pay back interest. Building good credit starts with being financially literate and knowing how to spend. Living minimally can aid with doing just that.
What about buying food?
We face a big issue with children being overweight because of how cheap unhealthy food has become. Living minimally doesn’t mean you have to skimp on food. Eating quality food will satisfy your hunger. Tons of resources are available on the foods you can purchase such as: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/
Habits
Make it a habit of educating your children on food the same way you would on money. Making your food is better than buying pre-made. This allows you to track what you put inside of it. You also save money as the ingredients are cheaper overall. You can have your snacks casually. I personally like indulging on the weekends and holidays.
Being a minimalist doesn’t have to be boring. Now that you have fewer possesions consuming your time, you have more time to have fun. Children love to play outside or going on trips. With the extra money you will be saving, you can use it to go places and enjoy with your children. I love going to the movies or just sightseeing and it don’t cost a lot.
Conclusion
I hope what I shared can help you in your journey into living minimally with children. Don’t let the thought of restriction dissuade you from living minimally. Remember living minimally doesn’t have to be extreme. It just needs to be enough where you feel less cluttered. I truly believe in “less is more”, and you can do a lot with less.