Happy Thanksgiving!
How do we decide what gifts to buy for our children?
It is that time of year again! The hustle and the bustle of finding just the right gift for the people we care about can be challenging. The best gift we can give is our time and attention. Connecting and building relationships is the “reason for the season.”
We hunt, buy, and wrap presents for our loved ones leaving us out of energy and feeling disconnected.
So, how do we decide what is best and most appropriate for our children? In this world of electronic overload, giving a gift that expands their imagination and opens up their creativity is beneficial on many levels. Here are some age appropriate ideas:
- Videos –DVDs, theatre gift cards or video camera for making videos.
- Books – Create one about them and encourage them to write in it.
- Wall Decor – posters, holograms; pictures or personal photos.
- Art supplies – chalk, paint, sketch pad, canvas, Play-Doh or clay.
- Hands-on-learning – blocks, puzzles, magnets, Legos, Simon, Tetris.
- Games – Scrabble, Pictionary, Monopoly, Connect Four
- Collection kits – rock, coin, stamp, baseball cards
- Activities – voice lessons, tickets to shows or the skating rink.
- Music –IPods, ITunes or mp3 downloads, guitar or voice lessons.
I am not saying that we shouldn’t buy our children one of those “must have” toys. What I am saying is that stretching our children’s ideas about how to have fun and spend time is part of parenting. When we choose gifts for them, it is good to remember what they really want and need is our time. Playing and creating with them, taking them to the skating rink, art museum or voice lessons will help us connect and build those very important relationships.
Gifting is like parenting, it takes time, creativity and tells our children that we love them and we want the very best for them.
To read the Love and Logic approach to when and how to give a child a cell phone, click here.
Have a safe and happy holiday!
