Photo by Author I don’t know if it was an ad-man, a philosopher, or a tree-hugger who first said “less is more”. But it is a crock! That’s like saying ‘fat is skinny’, or ‘dumb is smart’. They are not giving you the whole story. They are leaving things out. I saw a Lexus Ad once which stated ‘more is more’. Now that is truth in advertising!
Another way to say the phrase is, ‘less fat is more skinny’, or ‘less dumb is more smart’, or ‘less Taco Bell is more healthy’. It’s all about filling in the void!
See the difference? For instance, is less parenting more parenting? Well, it could be if less parenting means NOT being a helicopter parent, constantly hovering over your children and not letting them think for themselves. But less parenting is NOT more parenting when you are not engaging with them. When something is missing, something else fills that void.
What your child does not learn from you in the way of values and integrity, they will learn somewhere else. Unless you are not a good example, don't leave those lessons to chance. That’s why some boys join gangs when they haven’t a father to reassure themselves of their maleness. It’s why some girls, who don't have a loving father, are easy sexual targets for hormone enraged boys because they want the male acceptance they long for, but don’t have.
I can tell you this, ‘less bad parenting is more good parenting’. Continuing:
- Less love is not more love. ---- Less 'smothering' love is more 'effective' love.
- Less attention is not more attention. ---- Less attention 'on what’s wrong' is, hopefully, more attention 'on what’s right'.
- Less discipline is not more discipline. ---- Less discipline 'may require' more discipline.
- Less consistency is certainly not more consistency.
- Less love is definitely not more love!
- Less time with your kids is not more time with your kids. ---- Less time with your kids may become more time trying to reconnect with them.
- Generally, “Less bad stuff is more good stuff!” and, of course, vice versa!
YES, less is only better when you are doing the wrong things. More is always better when doing the right things. As a mother or father, taking more time to think about the right and wrong things you may be doing without even realizing it. And like balancing a portfolio, you want to balance your parenting style as your children grow and even adjust to each child.
