208. Slacker Parenting (AKA How to spend less time micromanaging and more time enjoying your kids)

Jesse and I are talking about "slacker parenting" this week on the podcast. This term might seem a bit odd or like the opposite of the kind of parent you'd want to be, but hear us out... because it's not exactly what it sounds like!

I recently read a pre-release copy of Alli Worthington’s upcoming book Remaining You While Raising Them and that's where I got the phrase from. Alli talks about how kids are often much more capable than we think they are. What would it look like for us to give them more opportunities to be in charge of their own responsibilities -- such as getting up and getting ready to leave for school, making their own lunches, managing their own homework, etc.

I so agreed with what she jokingly called "slacker parenting" because it's about raising our kids to be adults, to take ownership of their life and decisions, and to learn personal responsibility from a young age.

In this episode, we talk more about what this has looked like in our home, how it frees us up to enjoy our kids more, why it's a gift we give our kids, and how it helps prepare them more for life and their future.

In This Episode

[01:35] – We are talking about slacker parenting today.

[02:38] – We just got back from a camping trip!

[05:23] – We learned that our kids like to sleep in very cold temperatures.

[06:25] – Our girls went to prom -- and we also sort of went to pom for the first time!

[08:29] – I have been back on the reading train.

[11:47] – I am almost done listening to The Book Woman’s Daughter.

[13:59] – Jesse is looking forward to the book The Watchmaker’s Daughter.

[16:52] – Iron in a Bottle has been saving my life!

[20:23] – Mamava pods also saved my life last week.

[23:53] – What inspired the topic of slacker parenting?

[26:19] – Hear an example of how we practice this.

[28:31] – Kids are a lot more capable than we give them credit for.

[31:00] – Jesse emphasizes that kids will even ask to help at times.

[32:39] – We also try to avoid solving problems for our kids.

[35:06] – It’s also important to teach kids to ask for help rather than expect it.

[38:30] – This is a gift to your children and to yourself.

Links & Resources Crystal PaineIron in a BottleMamava PodsBooksThe Book Woman’s Daughter: A Novel by Kim Michele RichardsonThe Book Woman of Troublesome Creek: A Novel by Kim Michele RichardsonThe Watchmaker’s Daughter: The True Story of World War II Heroine Corrie ten Boom by Larry LoftisInto the Lion’s Mouth: The True Story of Dusko Popov: World War II Spy, Patriot, and the Real-Life Inspiration for James Bond by Larry LoftisCode Name: Lise: The True Story of the Woman Who Became WWII’s Most Highly Decorated Spy by Larry LoftisThe Princess Spy: The True Story of World War II Spy Aline Griffith, Countess of Romanones by Larry LoftisRemaining You While Raising Them: The Secret Art of Confident Motherhood by Alli WorthingtonLove-Centered Parenting: The No-Fail Guide to Launching Your Kids by Crystal PaineOther Links10 Days to Be a Happier MomSign up for the Hot Deals Email ListMoneySavingMom.comMy Instagram account (I’d love for you to follow me there! I usually hop on at least a few times per day and share behind-the-scenes photos and videos, my grocery store hauls, funny stories, or just anything I’m pondering or would like your advice or feedback on!)Have feedback on the show or suggestions for future episodes or topics? Send me an email: crystal @ moneysavingmom.com

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