(Guest post from Becky Flansburg)
The world is such a different place right now. And there\’s much debate about when Shelter In Place, quarantine, social distancing, and other COVID-19 mandates will end. No one really knows, but I do know is that there are silver linings among the cloud of this pandemic.
I\’ll give you two:
- More Family Time: Like, real LEGIT family time. Time to do puzzles, take walks, watch movies, bake, and read together. Bond. THAT, my friends, is pure GOLD.
- Prep for the New Normal: This hardcore *reset* of life as we once knew it gives us a chance to pare down, re-evaluate, and make positive shifts in our styles. Many of us are missing lunch dates with friends, movie theatres, family gatherings, and social events. We miss aimless roaming the aisles of our favorite stores looking for something that catches our eye (and likely, we don\’t need). This state of the world really could give us all a chance to reevaluate all of the *wants* in our lives that we are currently without and decide…really mindfully decide, what we want to add back in when this is all over.
Minimalism now has a whhhooollleee new meaning and importance to many folks.
So with that in mind, I\’d like to share some Shelter In Place Discussion Questions for Kids that are relevant to the moment in history that we are all living.
My diverse picture book is Sissy Goes Tiny (co-written with B.A. Norrgard) is an excellent example of a family that chooses to live Tiny and do More with Less.
A diverse picture book about a family that chooses to live Tiny and do More with Less.
Shelter In Place Discussion Questions for Kids: Could YOU \”Live Tiny?\”
The typical Tiny House is less than 399 square feet and often as small as 100; a far cry from the national average in 2014 of 2,453 square feet. Tiny Houses can be placed on a permanent foundation like a regular home, or on a trailer for a more mobile living lifestyle.
So, if a Tiny House is around 300 square feet, that is likely the size of the average living room! With that in mind, here are some great Discussion Points to help kids understand the idea of \”doing more with less.\”
- If your family wanted to \”go tiny\” and everything you needed would have to fit in your living room (while still leaving room to cook, eat, sleep, use the bathroom, do homework, etc.) what items would your family NEED.
- Based on the question above, what items would you WANT to take with you? Things that make you happy, remind you of fond memories, treasures, keepsakes, etc?
- In the book, Sissy was very glad when Daddy chose to leave behind the ukulele that hurt her ears. What possessions would you be OK with leaving behind?
- If you would pull your Tiny House behind your vehicle and visit ANY state/town/destination in the USA, where would you want to go first?
- If you lived in a Tiny House, what do you think would be the easiest thing to learn? The hardest?
- Many tiny house dwellers utilize their outdoor spaces so much that they consider it part of their daily living space. What fun things could your family bring with or add to your Tiny House adventure to take advantage of the great outdoors? A swing? A slide?
- Many tiny house dwellers utilize their indoor spaces as much as possible as well. To do this, they choose items that have \”double duty.\” The kitchen center island can double as a place for the dog to sleep. Footstools can become dining room chairs. Stairs have secret compartments in them to store things. What kind of cool ideas do you have for household items that can have more than one purpose?
Looking for a beautiful and unconventional diverse picture book for kids? Check out the upcoming, Sissy Goes Tiny!
In Sissy Goes Tiny, eight-year-old Sissy and her parents make the bold choice to downsize their life and embark on a journey of living tiny and doing more with less. At first, Sissy struggles to get used to the idea of living in a tiny house on wheels and traveling around the U.S, but as she and her mommy and daddy learn about downsizing, repurposing, and how “stuff is just stuff,” she soon understands that a life of “living tiny” will be filled with the big adventures and learning.
This gorgeous diverse picture book is available in hardcover on the Ap website, on IndieBound, and Amazon.
This book is also available in Kindle ebook form.
You can read the full story of this journey here.
\”I believe that Sissy Goes Tiny is going to open so many minds for people! A tiny house is absolutely not for everyone, but we all like to dream and step into the shoes of another lifestyle in our minds. Learning about this lifestyle I think will help people be more supportive of people who do choose to live unconventionally. Sissy and her family are a great example of that.\” Co-author, B.A. Norrgard
Join us in celebrating the idea of Tiny Living and BIG Adventures!
Hello, this question is for the author(s): Has your family chosen to live tiny? How many family members, and how large is your tiny space? How did you make the decision to “go tiny?”
Thank you for the kids discussion questions. Should lead to some good discussions! We go through something similar- although not permanent- every time we go camping.
Good morning! Of the two co-authors, B.A. Norrgard is the author who has been living tiny since 2012. Before her choice to downsize, B.A. had held a job in a downtown high rise and owned a traditional home, but when her desire to live simply could no longer be ignored she began to actively research and embrace tiny house living. She began living tiny as a single woman, but not long after added husband John and a dog to her 98 sq. ft. tiny home. Currently, B.A. and John live in Dallas TX. There are several wonderful blog posts about her journey and what led to the creation of the book, Sissy Goes Tiny, on the Audrey Press blog. We hope this helps!.