We all talk about the act of giving during this time of year, quite a lot. We are giving back, we are giving gifts, we are giving, giving, giving – but do we ever really stop to make sure our kiddos understand the true values behind gift gifting and what it really means? Sometimes I wonder this.
Last week, I ran into an unfortunate situation where Branden wanted to try out ABC Mouse on our home computer. I didn’t realize this was a service that needed to be paid for, until I had already said “yes” and pulled up the website. I tried to explain to Branden that we already have the Rosetta Stone Kids Reading
Kids, my little man included, need to understand the art of giving – and being given to. They need to be grateful for what they have and understand how fortunate they are. But how do we do this whenever they don’t know any other lifestyle?
How to Encourage Kids to Be Cool About Gift Giving
There are some awesome ways to encourage kids to be cool about gift giving that I have tried over the years with our now 6 year old to drill in his head the true meaning of the season. He’s not perfect and certainly still has his selfish moments (see above), but these simple tasks have helped open his eyes a bit.
Get them excited.
A great way to do this is take them to a local “Secret Santa Workshop” on the weekend and give them a $20 limit to go inside, all by themselves and choose gifts for everyone on their list. It’s a really fun way for them to understand that they have to get all these gifts on their list within a budget, as well as understanding the joy of watching the recipient open the gift on Christmas day.
Get them involved.
Through simple volunteering, as little as one Saturday or as often as you can, children will learn the gift of pride. They will learn how EVERY LITTLE BIT helps and how rewarding it is to jump in there and give the gift of their time and and energy to help someone else during the holiday season, and beyond.
Show them.
Though my son wasn’t there, my husband came home from work earlier this week with a story that broke my heart. He works in a bank where they were offering customers an opportunity to purchase simple $25 gift cards for kids in need this season, and each gift card request came with a little information about each child. My husband overheard a client reject donating because “12 years old is too old for a boy to need a gift.” GASP. My husband rushed in, grabbed that 12 year old boy’s card, and donated. This story greatly impacted our son, his Daddy being his hero through showing kindness.
The Ripple Effect
Once you have been shown kindness, it makes it so much easier to turn it around and “pay it forward”, thus creating a ripple effect. Kids need to see how their giving carries onward and can transform into something much bigger.
Give year round.
Making a regular donation on a monthly basis, not just during the holidays, gives kids a sense of “oh, this is something that we are always supposed to be doing!” I swear, as soon as we drop off a donation, Branden comes running down the hall to inform me that he has something to donate and we must start a new pile.
Veto the “gimmies!”
I have such fond memories growing up of cuddling in bed with my parents and reading The Berenstein Bears Get the Gimmies
Additionally, let your kids know that many of the gifts they are helping you buy are also giving back and doing something for the less fortunate in a BIG way! As a family, we try as much as possible to buy our gifts through companies that donate some of their profits to philanthropy of some sort. Check out our Holiday Gifts That Give Back {Motherhood Edition}.
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Fashionably Yours,
Allison
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