Lazy Parenting

'The welcome discovery that a lazy parent is a good parent took root when I read the following passage from a DH Lawrence essay, Education of the People, published in 1918: "How to begin to educate a child. First rule: leave him alone. Second rule: leave him alone. Third rule: leave him alone. That is the whole beginning." '

I encourage you to read the entire article here:
Idle parenting means happy children by Tom Hodgkinson

He's a bit rough-around-the-edges Brit, but I get what you are saying. Really. I hear it. Give yourself and your kids the permission to just let them use their brains. Imagination is a wonderful thing. Thanks for sending me this, Brent!
(My favorite is "a happy mess is better than miserable tidiness". I don't think Jesse would appreciate it put on a plaque in our living room!)

Manifesto of the idle parent

We reject the idea that parenting requires hard work We pledge to leave our children alone That should mean that they leave us alone, too We reject the rampant consumerism that invades children from the moment they are born We read them poetry and fantastic stories without morals We drink alcohol without guilt We reject the inner Puritan We fill the house with music and laughter We don't waste money on family days out and holidays We lie in bed for as long as possible We try not to interfere We push them into the garden and shut the door so that we can clean the house We both work as little as possible, particularly when the kids are small Time is more important than money Happy mess is better than miserable tidiness Down with school We fill the house with music and merriment