Give Up 40 Things for 40 Days
During Lent, Catholics around the world give up whatever is distracting them from worship. To keep it simple, most focus on one item, like soda, or one habit, like gossiping. We encourage our students at Lakeland Catholic schools to make sacrifices for Lent and focus on faith. One thing your whole family can give up for Lent is clutter. By giving up 40 things for 40 days, you can focus on your relationships with God while making a positive change in your lives and the lives of the less fortunate in your community.
In the Closet
Whether or not it seems that way from the outside, for most people, closets collect the most clutter. Start with your clothes closet when decluttering. Chances are, you can find 40 items to part with from your closet alone. Remove everything from your closet, and place it in an open area, like the living room floor. Touch every item, and decide what needs to stay and what can go. Donate gently used items to a local charity so someone in need can give them new life. Even though your child hasn’t been collecting clothes for quite as long, he can probably contribute to the “to go” pile, too.
Around the House
Every day of Lent, pick a new area of the house to declutter. Dressers, cabinets, drawers and closets are great places to start because at the end, you will be able to store the items you keep. Taking a whole room at a time can be overwhelming, so pick a small part, like the guest room closet or the kitchen cabinets. You have 40 days to work through it, so make a plan of how to divide and conquer. Your child can help, but be careful not to let him sneak anything back into your home. When you make your 40-day plan, see if you can let your child handle a small section or two.
What Your Child Can Do
Help your child give up clutter for Lent, and show him how it can help others. Your child may not have 40 pairs of shoes to sacrifice, but he should have at least 40 items total. Letting go of one item a day is plenty for a child, who may not understand the benefits of decluttering. Make sure some items are meaningful, like toys or games he doesn’t use that another child might love. Other items can be thrown away— like toys he has played with too roughly and clothes that have gone through the dryer too many times. Explain the benefits of charitable giving and letting go of anything that is just taking up space.
At our schools, we encourage students to give to those in need, and this would be a great way to encourage your child to do just that. The top Lakeland Catholic schools foster an atmosphere of care and an environment of high expectations and effective discipline. To learn more about what makes us different, contact us online.