Being counted with the poor
The Jones Family enjoys a BBQ with friends | Photo via Jonesberries.com
Debbie Jones (aka wife of Tall Skinny Kiwi) shares some of the difficulties their family has encountered in being travelling minimalists.
I’ve mentioned the Jones family once or twice here before, but for those not familiar with the Jones family, they’ve sold the majority of their possessions and are currently exploring Europe and north Africa and meeting with a variety of communities of faith in the back of the family’s truck – the tall skinny expedition mobile.
Debbie writes:
Now, we are counted with the poor.
We are downwardly mobile.
We live in a truck.
We are global nomads.
We are travellers.
This brings about certain problems. My kids don’t need a toilet to go pee. They all prefer to find a nice, private “shrubbery” to pee on. This is fine in Morocco. This is not fine in the United Kingdom. They eat lots of weird food but they are beginning to shun private plates and utensils. What does this mean? Well, for one thing we are having more and more difficulties hanging with the middle classes the more we hang with the poor. Not as someone who goes back to their apartment after but sleep side by side with the poor. It is out of choice, we are counted as poor. But what about our kids. For those that have eyes to see our kids stick out from the norm with their acts of generosity and inclusion. However, their inability and seeming ambivalence to typical social games can make them appear immature and weird. They are flexible and independent but Andrew and I get to bear the judgement of being bad parents when we give our kids freedom and responsibility and a voice that is alien to most kids.
While there are struggles, Debbie definitely highlights the joys that come with their lifestyle in her post.
I’ll let you read it in her words to find out what she says.
I’m curious though – for those of you who are parents, how have others responded to your kids and ultimately your parenting skills? How do the joys compare to the struggles?
Other posts you may have missed this week:
Becoming Minimalist: An Interview with Joshua Becker
Cut down on your Reward Cards in your wallet with just One Club Reward Card
Bill Gates: The Internet Will Displace the Traditional University in 5 Years
8 Simple Habits for Longer-Term Natural Living
Love Life, Not Stuff
Get rid of your clutter, STAT! — The Statistics of Clutter
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We raised our four kids for a decade in the jungle of Papua, Indonesia. When we returned to the US, the older two were young teenagers. It was tough! They had no clue what was ‘in’ and no interest in finding out. Their worlds were so much larger than their peers. My daughter found ONE friend who ‘got’ her,but it wasn’t really until college that they began to feel like they fit in. By US standards we seemed poor because we had few of the usual ‘middle class’ amenities. Only people who had raised their kids out of the US or very intentionally understood our children.
Willow,
I imagine that’s probably the case – only parents who come from similar backgrounds an beliefs really understand your kids and parenting ideals.
Thanks for the insight!