8 things children need

Many people think you have to have everything to be happier, and so they believe it's okay to give children everything they want or ask for. But honestly, is this what children need? We believe children only need a few things, and most of them don't cost much money. They may cost more of your time as parents, or your sense of security, but in the end, they're worth the price. We've chosen just eight:

1. They need clothes to get dirty in . Of course, they'll need fancy clothes to go out with family and friends, but they'll also need an apron to help you in the kitchen. They'll need your old clothes and unused hats for playing dress-up. They'll need an old T-shirt, which won't matter if it gets stained by markers or tempera paint, or for playing with clay.
2. They need time to spend with family, cousins, and friends. They need to play outside, go to the zoo, a farm, or the city center. They need to go to museums: the Natural Sciences Museum, the Geo-Mining Museum, the Science and Technology Museum, the Prado Museum, or the Thyssen Museum. They need to go on excursions in the countryside. They need to visit a swamp or a lake, swim, and hike in the mountains. They need cuddles, tickles, and jokes. They need to be with all kinds of people, and of different ages. They need their grandparents or great-grandparents to spend time with them.
3. They need to ask questions . They need you to teach them how to find solutions using a book or through observation, not just by asking Siri, Cortana, or Google Now. They need you to say, “I don’t know, let’s find out,” or “I’m glad you asked that great question.” They need to answer silly questions, like, “If you were an animal, what animal would you be?” or “If you were a color, which one would you be?” or “If you could spend a night on the moon, what would you do?”
4. They need to explore . They need to see new places. They need to climb to the highest point. They need to swing until the swing turns over. They need to use leverage with a stick and lift large rocks to see the creatures in the field. They need to conquer their fear to ride a bike... or a horse. They need to be on their own for part of the day, without being under your watchful eye 24/7. They need to resolve their own conflicts. They need to jump on a trampoline and run until they're out of breath. They need to start a business, like selling necklaces or drawings they've made. They need to spend their own money, or even waste it from time to time. They need to give something to someone who doesn't have anything.
5. They need to rest . They need to go to bed at a reasonable time so they're energized and rested the next day. They need time when there's no screen in front of them. They need to make a house out of pillows. They need to spend a night under the stars. They need to be quiet, in silence, to listen to their own thoughts. But they also need the opportunity to make noise, to play the drums , the banjo , the tambourine , and to sing out loud.
6. They need toys that don't have a predetermined purpose, like the classics: wooden constructions, paper and paint, dolls, but above all, they need the courage to use their imagination and play with anything. For example, tree leaves as coasters, cardboard that can be anything, egg cartons, tinfoil tubes, etc.
7. They need a safe and accessible place to store their collections (rocks, buttons, autumn leaves, shells, stamps, trading cards, etc.). Some will even need a really large space, as they will try to collect everything.
8. They need books . They need someone to read them. They need to read you a story. They need to see you read and enjoy doing it. They need beautiful books to admire, and funny comics to laugh out loud. They need rhymes to hum in their heads. They need books with characters who resemble their family, and others with historical figures who inspire them. They need heroes to move them, and dramas to cry over.

And so, we end as we began: There are only a few things kids need, and most of them don't cost much money. They may cost you more time as parents, or your sense of security, but in the end, they're worth the price. Have you ever stopped to think about whether there really aren't enough minutes in the day to spend with your children?