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The Affliction of Always Wanting More
My 5-year-old has an insatiable appetite for more. More toys, even though half of them remain untouched. More desserts, even when his cheeks are stuffed full. More time before bed, often achieved by dragging out the bedtime ritual to the point of exhaustion. This relentless craving for more makes me yearn for less—less whining, less chaos, and, at times, fewer kids!
Yet, children aren’t the only ones afflicted by this “disease of more.” Adults, particularly parents, are equally guilty. Kids demand nearly everything we possess, and as parents, we find ourselves desiring more to juggle their needs alongside our own. We want more free time, more money (who doesn’t?), more sleep, more wine, and definitely more babysitters. Above all, we crave more space.
Everything seems to shrink when you have kids—except, of course, your joy and your laundry! Your finances dwindle, your patience thins out, and your living space feels like it’s closing in. Suddenly, you aren’t just sharing your home with more people; those people come with an avalanche of stuff!
Before kids, you might have been content in a cozy studio or a one-bedroom apartment. Then, you combined your lives with your partner’s, and while things got a bit bigger, not drastically so—you still only needed that one bedroom! Then came the baby, and with it, a wave of panic about fitting in a crib, clothes, and an arsenal of toys.
So, you opted for more space. But then baby number two arrived, and the panic resurfaced. You knew from experience that with a new baby came a tidal wave of clothes, diapers, toys, and yes, a lot of mess. You convinced yourself you needed even more space!
But do you truly? Unless you’re welcoming a whole basketball team into your home—shout out to the Duggar family—you probably don’t. I recently had my second child and moved to a larger apartment, filling every inch with stuff, and I still feel cramped.
At some point, we need to hit the brakes. If we don’t, our desire for more will never end! Sometimes, it’s wiser to make do with what you have. The more you accumulate, the more you want, and it becomes an endless cycle. This insatiable desire can be toxic, especially for our children, who might absorb the notion that happiness hinges on possession accumulation.
Kids don’t require as much as we often think. In our quest to ensure they have everything—often more than we did—we overlook how little they truly need. They crave our attention and love far more than the latest gadget or action figure.
So next time you feel envious of a friend’s bigger house or find yourself longing for the newest smartphone, take a moment to reflect. Odds are you already possess everything you need. Let’s focus on optimizing what we have instead of obsessing over expanding our spaces. After all, a smaller space can often feel more intimate and loving.
For more on this topic, check out this insightful piece on the disease of more at our other blog, and if you’re looking for expert advice on home insemination, look no further than this excellent resource. For those interested in the practical aspects of insemination, this guide is an authority on the subject.
Summary:
The article discusses the overwhelming desire for more that parents and children often experience, particularly in relation to material possessions. It emphasizes that while children seem to need countless items, their true requirements are attention and love. The piece encourages parents to focus on maximizing what they have rather than succumbing to the relentless pursuit of more, highlighting that smaller spaces can foster closer family connections.