Teaching the Gift of Giving | Part 2
Nov 29
Using Christmas to Teach Contentment
One of the ways to teach contentment with what you have is by focusing outward. When you are focusing on something other then yourself or the gifts that you are getting, then it is easier to be content. An easy way to do this with children is by creating excitement for giving gifts to others. A few months ago, we talked about having your child save their allowance for Christmas presents. Depending on the amount your child has saved you can match their savings or a portion of their savings. Set aside some time to take each child out individually to shop or split it up where dad takes the kids to shop for mom and visa versa. Make that a special time where maybe you get up early, go out for breakfast and then head out to beat the shopping rush. Remember that excitement is contagious so be careful not to communicate that this is just one more thing on the to do list.
Christmas morning don’t just make a mad rush tearing open all the gifts but take the time to enjoy each person opening a gift. Allow your children to feel the excitement of handing the gift they bought to their sibling and watching their face as they open it. The memories of learning to give are much more important to look back on as adults. When we are beginning to turn the focus of Christmas from what is gotten to what is given, then we are training our children to be content.
Listen to today’s podcast for more insight on teaching the gift of giving
Teaching the Gift of Giving | Part 1
Nov 28
Fighting Materialism at Christmas
Christmas season can be very stressful and overwhelming to parents. There are so many parties and activities. Probably the most stressful is the feeling that we must give our children a perfectly magical Christmas experience. And of course have found the perfect gifts. We are still at the beginning of the month so it is a great time to sit down, take a breath, and set some priorities.
We need to look at big picture. When our children are grown what do we want them to remember about Christmas? Was it a time spent focusing on the true meaning and through the Joy of that, serving others? Or was it a time for materialistic overindulgence? This is not to say that we don’t give our children gifts but more what is our focus for the season. Take the time early this season to think through what traditions will help our children focus on what the true meaning of Christmas is and the joy of giving to others because of it.
Listen to today’s podcast for more insight on teaching the gift of giving.
Raising a Grateful Child | Part 4
Nov 25
Teaching Gratitude Through the Christmas Season
Choose to continue the momentum that you have built training your children in gratitude through the holiday season. Christmas can be a difficult time for our children to have a grateful heart. There are millions of dollars being spent this season on advertising to convince us that we need things that we don’t have.
One way to continue the momentum is by serving others. Continue to create excitement for your family service project. Look for other places you can serve others and include your children. Offer to help an older woman or a woman with small children, load their groceries into their car. Have your children help you babysit for a couple with small children so they can get out during this busy season. Have your children help bake cookies to take to the neighbors. There are many ways to serve others we just have to make that our focus and wait for the opportunity. You can even make that a game with your children, who can spot an opportunity to serve first.
Another thing we can do as a family is continue our “I am grateful for list”. Every night before bed or at the dinner table, each family member can say one thing that they are thankful for. Continue your focus on gratitude through out the Christmas season.
Listen to today’s podcast for more insight on training a grateful heart.
Thanksgiving Special
Nov 24
The Story of Squanto
Listen to today’s podcast to hear the story of the first Thanksgiving.
The 30 Imperatives of Parenting # 29 and 30
Nov 23
#29 = Eat Dinner Together
#30 = Take Vacations Together
Research over the past few years has shown the value of eating together as a family. In fact, an article in TIME, by Nancy Gibbs called The Magic of the Family Meal states, “Studies show that the more often families eat together, the less likely kids are to smoke, drink, do drugs, get depressed, develop eating disorders and consider suicide, and the more likely they are to do well in school, delay having sex, eat their vegetables, learn big words and know which fork to use.”
Sitting down together as a family can also be such an awesome tool for teaching communication. Children can learn the give and take of a conversation. It can also be a great place to talk through how their day went as well as listening to how other family members faired. The dinner table can also be a place for fun. As parents we can be creative conversationalists and do games around the dinner table. We must remember that even though we may be tired from our day we set the tone for how the conversation will go.
Another area that can be a great venue for teaching communication is family vacations. Simply taking a vacation where you have to have some down time as a family can be very valuable. Make sure that when you are planning a vacation it is not all just entertainment but that there is some time set aside to simply be together. If not you may leave the vacation feeling more exhausted then when you left and not feel like you had the time to get to have relationship.
Listen to today’s podcast for more on these topics.
