By Marli Naidoo
It’s great to receive gifts and to see how our children’s eyes sparkle when they tear off the gift wrap. It makes us content to see them so happy, but we easily forget that it is more important for them to be able to give to someone else. How can we successfully convey this concept to our children?
According to Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg, an Australian psychologist, we should not spoil our children with too many gifts. Four gifts are quite sufficient. The first one is something he really wants; something on his wish list. The second gift is something he really needs. Then something to read. The last gift is not for him, but something he can give to or do for someone else. It need not be a wrapped gift. This is a wonderful way to teach your child that joy can also be found in the gesture of giving.
The best way to teach your child about charity, is to set a good example. Invite single friends, or friends who have family far away, to spend Christmas day with you.
Bake cookies and take them to a shelter for the homeless or an orphanage. Make sure to take your children with you when you do so.
Let your children go through their toys and choose a few that are still in good condition, but which no longer interest them. Wrap these gifts and let them give them to children whose parents aren’t able to buy them something special.
Instead of constantly asking your children what they want for Christmas, ask them what they want to give. You can help them make something for someone in the family, of give them money to buy something for their siblings, which they then put under the Christmas tree.
Send an extra tasty goody to school with your child. Ask him to share it with a friend. After school he can come and tell you with whom he shared it.
Encourage them to share words of comfort with someone else. With a few friendly words they can brighten someone else’s day, and it is a wonderful gift that costs nothing.
Also encourage your children to save some of their pocket money to later donate to a charity of their choice.
When it is time to open the gifts, let your child open his one by one, and afterwards take time to thank the giver. After Christmas they can also write a letter or draw a thank-you picture to send to the givers to say thank you. Let your child also see how grateful you are for the gifts that you received.
Always remember the wonderful Giver of Christmas who is our first and most important example. Let his example lead us when we decide how we are going to celebrate Christmas.
Sources:
Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-5209607/Christmas-2017-teach-children-gift-giving.html
Dave Ramsey: https://www.daveramsey.com/blog/teach-kids-about-giving
Thrifty Fun: https://www.thriftyfun.com/tf/Better_Living/Charity/Advice/Teaching-Kids-About-Holiday-Giving.html
