When life's pressures make many parents too busy and feel that they are losing control or contact with their children, it is time to simplify things. The benefits of keeping life simple are many. Kids like to have time and space to explore the world without too many restrictions.

A lot of activities, a lot of information, a lot of choices and a lot of speed make the routine too heavy and give a feeling that the whole family is rushing to the next appointment. If children don't have time to relax or play, they can become overwhelmed, causing unnecessary stress. Simplifying the daily routine and environment for children and reducing the overload of information and activities can help them become less agitated.

As a result, there will be more room for growth, creativity and relaxation. Many behavior problems today are related to the excess of responsibilities imposed on children. Kids need time to play and interact with each other. Forcing them to make choices that the little ones are not ready to make is stressful for them, and creates a feeling that more is always needed.

Cleaning up the mess

One way to start doing this at home is to reduce the number of toys. At the same time as the mess decreases, the attention given to the child increases and so does the ability to play because each game is better explored. When organizing the toys, one tip is to leave the ones that the children like the most and with which they are entertained the most. Usually the favorites are very simple, classic, without many bells or whistles. They are dolls, stuffed animals, trains and carts.

Keeping and organizing toys instead of leaving them scattered around the room leaves more room to organize a library, for example, even if it is very small. Children need to be encouraged to read. Putting pillows on the floor, building a doll's house or a small fort and letting children enjoy the space as they see fit is another example that simple can be fun.

All the family needs to slow down

The frantic routine of always having to do something can be simpler, too. Children with schoolwork, extracurricular activities, sports and too many tasks can become stressed, since they don't have free time to explore their own creativity. The ideal is to limit the time in front of electronic devices, keeping children free of distractions and focused on the activities they choose. This also benefits parents, who can focus on more important things than running between one commitment and another.

To slow down and focus on what is really important is a continuous process, not something to be done in a day, an afternoon or a weekend. Changing habits takes time so it's important to start slowly, with possible goals and accessible to everyone. To simplify is to find a place of balance as you move away from exaggeration. Only with the very minimum that kids can discover what they really like and what they really want.

Encourage your children to contribute 

Depending on their age and preferences, give them tasks such as setting the table, serving, sweeping up after a meal, taking out the garbage, running a short errand, etc. In this case, it is necessary, if you have two or more children, to be fair and equal in the tasks to be done. This is to avoid injustices and reproaches from the children. Also, it should be noted that some children are happy to participate in these tasks. If necessary, draw up a schedule for each week.