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Raising the Next Generation to Enjoy Giving as Much as Receiving
While many of us here at Gusto Magazine have “kiddos” of our own, we certainly don’t profess to be award-winning parents. We do our best and strive to teach our kids the never-ending list of talents, character traits and other tools they will need to be contributing members of society and well-rounded individuals. We receive a little bundle of joy and release them about 18 years later to face the world. Preparing them for their journey is a daunting task, but well worth the effort.
The holiday season presents us with another wonderful opportunity to teach our children—or just another reminder of our responsibility as parents. It depends on how you view the glass—half-empty or half-full. As children leave the toddler phase, they are capable of learning the joys of giving while little-by-little focusing less on receiving.
How parents accomplish this task varies greatly, but let’s face it, parenting in general has put many folks in the hot seat and will continue to do so. No matter how you get there, successfully raising children with compassion is most definitely worth an award or two.
So whether you provide your children with the opportunity to create their own gifts, save money to purchase special items, donate their own presents or help raise awareness for the needy, the key is getting them involved. Most, if not all, parents would agree that having junior give grandpa a gift on Christmas morning that he has never even seen teaches junior very little about enjoying the art of giving.
Get your children involved in the entire process. Have them brainstorm gift ideas, talk with them about appropriate budgets, take them to select the item or create it themselves and lastly let them help wrap it and present it to the receiver directly. There is nothing better than watching your child’s face light up with laughter and joy. Give them the same opportunity—to see the joy on grandpa’s face as he opens their meaningful gift. It is well worth the effort!
So it is with those lessons taught, we find that gifts are best when they come from the heart. There is nothing more special than a handwritten card, drawn picture or thoughtful momento. However, when those gifts just aren’t enough, we have over 100 selections of the finest that Central Oregon has to offer, from Naturopathica Joint Oil to the classic Rolex. Turn the page to check out all the great ideas and have a great holiday!
Looking for more guidance on teaching children the art of gift giving? Check out these articles:
parenting.ivillage.com/gs/gscelebrations/0,,432n,00.html
www.green-talk.com/2009/01/14/echoage-eco-friendly-birthday-parties-teaching-children-to-give-back
www.greatschools.net/parenting/teaching-values/teaching-children-to-give.gs?content=158
holiday-kids-crafts.suite101.com/article.cfm/christmas_gifts_kids_can_make
www.education.com/magazine/article/Ed_Teaching_Kids_Give
www.momjunction.com/members/JournalActions.aspx?g=1182&m=100218&cc=bz3
www.childrentoday.com/articles/holiday-winter/spirit-of-the-season-2833
familycrafts.about.com/od/giftstomake/tp/HomeMadeGiftIdeas
Story by Heidi Chackel - Winter Issue Gusto 2009
