The “Problem” of Plenty
As people who can provide for their children, we’re constantly grappling with the question: how much is too much when it comes to things? I believe that’s at the heart of conscious parenting, making intentional choices rather than giving in to excess. From the moment Kalindi was born, there’s been no dearth of clothes, toys and general stuff. I remember thinking, we had enough things to last until she started school. A year and a half later, I know that to be true.
A friend of mine used to lament that her family was plagued by ‘the problem of plenty’. Every time I heard her say that, something inside me would instinctively recoil. I wondered how she could complain about having too much in a world where people struggled for the basics. I’d flinch every time I heard, hoping one day she would see the light and find a solution for her so-called ‘problem’.