How will I raise my future children?Of course, I'm no where near the age of having those future children yet, but it's something I find myself thinking about more and more.
How will I raise them?
What morals do I hope they will have?
How can I teach them about the world which will inspire them to be compassionate, involved and have a love for the planet and all beings on it?
These questions raises even more questions for me; where will I raise them, what kind of education should they have, how can I give them the best childhood I can possibly give them?
And these are just a very small sample of the questions that buzz in my mind day in and day out. Sometimes it feels like there is so much to think about, and it can be a little overwhelming (but in an excited way, most of the time).
There are of course, some easier questions (well, questions I find have simple answers), and these questions usually revolve around what I will teach my children about food, and a healthy lifestyle.
The answer to this kind of question is always an easy one, and it boils right down to this;
How do I represent a healthy, happy lifestyle?
In fact, really, all the questions that swim in my mind can literally be answered like this;
What kind of morals do I want to have?
How can I be more compassionate, involved, have a greater love for my planet, and live a greener lifestyle?
Because what it comes down to is that I will be a role model for my future children. Of course they will have other adult role models in their lives that will influence them too, but I think it's important to think about yourself as an important role model.
Why?
Because your children will learn from your example. This does not only mean it's a great chance to teach your children how to have a happy, healthy life that benefits not only themselves but others and the planet, but it also means that you now have the chance to create that happy healthy life that benefits not only you but others and the planet!
What a good opportunity and inspiration children can be. They, in a way, create an excuse to take better care of yourself, your community, your planet and to become more aligned with higher self (not that you need an excuse to do these things, but it's always a nice boost when you have one, am I right?)
My children are inspiring me, and they're not even anywhere being born yet.
That's pretty magical. ^^
Anyway, to the heart of this article.
All this thinking has made me want to make many changes in my life. Some I can't do right now, simply because I currently don't have the resources available to me to do them, but that doesn't mean I can't start taking small steps, right? And isn't that how you're supposed to reach a goal anyway? One small step at a time.
There are a lot of changes that I want to start making, and just a few of these are:
- wanting to eat more healthily
- wanting to be more active
- wanting to nourish and care for my body the way it deserves to be cared for
- wanting to be more organised
- wanting to become more "green"
- wanting to become more self sufficient
There's are only the tip of the iceberg, but serve as a great example of the kind of life I want to represent to my children. There are, of course, a lot of other things too (but then the list would just go on and on...), but that would take too long to do into depth with (for only one article that is. Hmm, an article series might be in order).
But today I want to focus on two main things: organisation, healthy food.
I'm not a disorganised person.
At least, not too badly disogranised...
But I always like to look at ways I can improve things. Innovation, man, that's where it's at! ;)
One of the things I really wish would run more smoothly for me is meal prep. It's not too bad now (although sometimes it can take hours from my day), but when I think about it in terms of "if I had children now" it would be disastrous. It doesn't make it any better that I'm the kind of person who leaves making food to the last minute (to the point where I'm starving and could almost tear down the house and then rebuild it twice as good...) and so I'm always disorganised in the kitchen; hastily chopping things, making more mess than necessary, and using almost every pot and pan in sight...
So, I've decided that I'm going to learn how to prep meals in advance. That is my first step to better organisation (and better sanity too :P). I don't know how, (well kinda I do) but I will do it! That is my first promise to myself.
My second promise is no more cane sugar, "processed" foods like white flour and white rice, and packaged snacks (with the exception of a few amazing, healthy, organic, and preferably local brands like Loving Earth - 725.3km away (~450 miles) is practically local... right... he, he, well it technically is where I live...
We all know how bad sugar can be (often scientists and spiritual guides referring to it as heroin), and second to that comes the overly processed things like flour and the like... and don't even get me started on most packet snacks (Oh, god, never again will I have mi goreng! *rolls on the floor from trauma*). So, it only makes sense to cut these out.
The flour and rice are easier, for me at least, but the sugar is hard! There are tons of cane sugar alternatives like agave, stevia and coconut sugar (to name a few), but where I live they are hideously expensive, and when you're on a student budget it makes it very hard to buy. But not impossible, and that's a relief (I couldn't even imagine finding those sorts of things where I live ten years ago, when most places didn't even sell wholemeal bread or brown rice...)
These are my first few goals. My promises to myself and my future children.
I will see how I go in the future with achieving these, and will hopefully post about my success (and maybe this will turn into an article series, who knows?)
But I leave you on this last note:
How would you live your life for your children/How do you live your life for your children? What good habits do you represent to them? How do you raise them (organically, teach them how to grow their own food, appreciate where their food comes from etc.)? What hopes do you have for them to have a happy, healthy life?
Until next time.
<3
Usagi
