TAG Question of the Week
By now, everyone has turned in their list. Santa has his orders and he is now working to pull it all together to ensure that our little ones have a very merry day. Regardless of the occasion, whether it’s Christmas, Hanukkah, birthdays or other occasions requiring gifts, there is something magical about providing our children with the objects of their hearts’ desires. (Exemptions include such requests as an R.V., pet penguin or trip to Venus.)
And while they’re thrilled when they receive it, in many cases over time, the thrill dissipates and the items that were once the most wonderful, needed items on the earth can now be found at the back of the closet, under the seat in the car, midway through the toy box, or worse, dragged out into the yard by the dog and left in the rain. Or even sometimes, let’s be honest, that wonderful item that they opened 10 minutes ago has been forgotten as soon as they open the next.
In considering the abundance with which we live, it’s important to help our children stop and reflect on what we have. We know that they’re going to move on from the latest fad and outgrow items that were once near and dear to their imaginative lives. But in the midst of the ‘I Want’ season, filled with good and bad behavior being reported to the North Pole and insomnia-filled nights of the expectation, are they aware of what they already have? In the midst of the anticipation, have gifts of the recent past already been forgotten? How did they feel when they received that special item for their birthday – or for older children, last Christmas? Do they still appreciate that item? Is there something better about new items than ‘old?’ Are they still important?
What better time to reflect on what we have? From Talk About Giving and Central Carolina Community Foundation, we wish you a very happy holiday!
Published every other Friday, use the Question of the Week to spark conversation with your children about family, money, giving and help them explore what matters most to them.