Annie Asks...

"Mom, why is toilet paper made of paper?" (Picture is a self-portrait of Annie.)

I love these moments when the children start to catch on to the changes we're making, and it prompts them to ask questions and probe into why things are the way they are and why we're making a change. We haven't completely phased out toilet paper at BobbleHead yet, mainly because my husband is adamantly refusing to give it up, but I have the kids using old baby washcloths to wipe themselves when they urinate. I was extremely tense that they might forget and flush the cloth down the toilet causing who knows what amount of plumbing havoc, but they've not forgotten yet, and it's been many months.

Annie and I had quite the discussion (with Airius and The Bean listening on, of course) about how toilet paper disintegrates in water, which she immediately had to try in the sink. Then she wanted to know why we would want to use cloth when the toilet paper just disappears. I have to wash the cloth. Why would I want to do that? This led to a conversation of where paper comes from, how long it takes trees to grow, why trees are so important to our planet, how much toilet paper costs, etc. My girl is amazing, I tell ya. She knew more than I thought she would, and I'm sure she absorbed the new stuff.

Luckily, she didn't ask why we don't use the cloth wipes for fecal cleanup, but I wouldn't put it past her to do it once just to see how I react. ;)

How do your kids handle all the changes you've been making during your journey to simplicity?