Hair brained theory.

deep thinker

So, I have this theory.

I have lots of theories, actually. Mostly I try to keep them in my head, I think because I often feel like they'd just end up a sermon for the choir. But this one managed to escape. It's not a sermon though. Just some loose thoughts that have been going around and around in my head. Little pieces of grit that keep bugging me. Caught just under my skin. Maybe writing it out will help me figure out if this is really what's been pestering me.

Anyway...

More and more my eyes are being opened to how much stuff we, as a nation, have. I've been to a couple places around the world where people have nothing. Literally nothing. Mud or cardboard hut nothing. And it's impacting and jarring and sickening when you get back home and are surrounded by air conditioners and electricity that turns on with a flick of my finger. Ever single time.

Yet somehow, all of that becomes normal again.

Today I thought about this as I was washing dishes. Clear, pure, drinkable water gushed out of the faucet and down the drain while I scrubbed a dish. The feeling of excess was disturbing in that moment.

But that's not what my theory is about. Kind of. But not.

I guess that our taken-for-granted excesses naturally extend to our children. We have so much stuff. The kids have so much stuff.

It's hard for me to look at some of the colorful toys and chairs and bouncers that Everly has for too long. I start to feel cluttered and my brain goes a little crazy. Maybe I have a sensitive brain or something but it feels like I'm looking at one of those Magic Eye posters sometimes. If I just squint, or relax my eyes, or cross my eyes, or look out of the corner of my eye...whatever it is you have to do...I'll see the hidden image. But when you're not trying to see the image it just looks busy. And loud. And it starts to hurt my head.

I wonder if maybe it feels like that for babies too.

I know 'they' say that babies are stimulated by bright colors and blocky patterns. But do we have to stimulate them every single second? Is that really that crucial for their future learning and development? Or that helpful?

Or, maybe, is it creating cranky, hyper children with short-attention spans who need constant color and movement and sound for something to keep their focus.

Am I training my children from birth to be over-stimulated?

If I feel tired from looking at all this clown-like gear all day then what is it doing to Ever?

Awhile ago I started boxing up a portion of Owen's toys and rotating them in and out of use. It kept the mess down. But something happened and all of them ended up out at one point.

It was chaos. Too many toys seemed to make him agitated. He was distracted and acted out more than normal. I boxed up a bunch and we do regular pick-ups during the day now. Maybe it helped or maybe he was just teething or maybe I feel better with less mess. Whatever. I see a difference.

So my theory is this: more toys, more color, more music, more lights and flashing, more puzzles, more books, more education mobiles, more chairs and rattles and play kitchens, more games and more primary colors won't necessarily result in a smarter, more well adjusted child (no matter what the toy manufactures advertise). It might actually be harmful.

Maybe all those toys and things are just stuff. Not magic stuff. Not even developmental stuff.

Just stuff.

Maybe it's actually a case of less being more.

What do other people think?