NO PRESENT Birthday Party !!!

Ok.. Im pretty sure your human so you MUST have had this experience. You know when you have to do something you really don't want to do but have to anyways? That thing that drives you up the wall and your cringe every time you think about it and when you have that mental debate with yourself over and over again until you think you have gone CRAZY?

Well I have some news for you, I always question my mental sanity. I have become so embedded in my purpose and dreams that my own family actually thinks I am crazy AND guess what I LOVE IT!!!

Heather Insight

Even if you think it sounds disgusting (don't think of it so literally) I always say to people that I enjoy "peeing against the wind" I strive on doing the TOTAL opposite of mainstream society, WHY because I am a leader and not a follower. I live for every minute of everyday because I want to, NOT because I am suppose to. 

I am EXTREMELY passionate about raising grateful children who are compassionate and grounded. I am also aware that this is not easy in Western culture where we are very consumer conscious AKA LOVE TO SHOP. 

Biggest Pet Peeve

When I hear parents say "Why are my children so rude and disrespectful, I never treated my parents the way my kids treat me." 

I love my children just as much as the next caring parent I just show it differently. 

So here is what went down tonight... 

I am planning a birthday party for my son, where he gets to invite is WHOLE class. There will be endless physical activity, pizza and cake but NO PRESENTS. You think I am evil don't you. 

You may be thinking OMG that is terrible, having a birthday party for a young child, how can you NOT have presents, you are depriving your child of great memories. 

Through MY Eyes

I am CREATING a life lesson of teaching my son that for his birthday he needs nothing more than the gift of friendship. Being grateful for the opportunity to have such great friends around him to play with. To have the opportunity as a child to be free and play and laugh and eat together, for his parents to afford that. So I ask you... is that not enough? Why do I need to over stimulate him with throwing a bunch of polluted plastic toys in his face just so 20 kids can pile on top of one another and wish they had all the same crappy toys at home. 

So this is how it went down... 

Me, my husband and my son debated for hours over this and I told him. You may be upset with me and that is OK because you are a kid and you do not understand and if it weren't for our cultural values of always needing more, you wouldn't even know the difference. Someday you will thank me for not giving you everything you wanted but giving you what you needed with the guidance and love you deserve. 

This is where I go crazy. I can understand this debate with a 6 year old but Boy is it interesting when it comes from the parents. Tonight I literally sat in silence with a stranger (mother of a classmate invited to the party) on the phone as she said to me "Are you sure you don't want me to bring anything?" I replied  "Yes! I know this may sounds weird but I like to do weird things. I am trying to teach my son gratitude." She said " I know and I agree but MOST parents want their kids to have gifts." I said "well I am not most parents." Then she said something to me that made me ponder and question what peer pressure REALLY does to our soul. She said " I totally agree with you, my son has so many toys they fill up our living room, basement, garage and his bedroom that is why he decided NOT to have a birthday party this year because I don't want any more toys." 

Mental Debate: Celebrating your child's life to it's full purpose or not celebrating at all because you do not want anymore toys. What do you think? 

This post is not to demonstrate the fact that I enjoy "peeing against the wind" I hope it gets your wheels turning and thinking and wondering. Why do people do what they do. Why is my child so angry, why do they disrespect me, why is the sky blue.