Last night the kids watched Jon & Kate with me. The whole family went to St. Judes in Memphis. They spent the day shopping for gifts for the children, each of their kids got to buy 3 gifts for the kids with cancer. Katrina was seriously impressed and said she wanted to do that. We talked about how thier school is doing sub for Santa and my children decided they wanted to go shopping and by something to donate.
I told them I wanted to put some thought into what we were going to do and we'd see. So today as I'm reviewing in my mind what everyone is getting for Christmas, and the piles hidden away in the basement, I had an idea. I called all my kids together and said, "How about we do this... Mom and Dad have already bought you guys a lot of presents. How about I pick out one from each of your piles and you give them to Sub for Santa?" They all eye'd me suspicously. Katrina was the first to speak up, "That depends, can we see it 1st?"
"No, because that would ruin your surprise. The whole idea here is that there are kids that arent getting anything, and you guys alway get lots."
Tyler is sitting nxt to me on the sofa thinking very seriously. Then he looks up and plainly states, "No." to which the other two nod their heads in agreement.
What??? What kind of selfish monsters have I created? "But I thought you wanted to give to Sub for Santa!" Katrina says in that preteen... dugh mom voice, "Yeah, I wanted to go buy something, what if it's something I really want?"
"That's the whole point, giving is supposed to be a sacrifice. Not just going to Walmart with Mom's credit card."
They all sat in slilence staring at me... I was afraid, was I going to loose this battle. Have I really raised children who know nothing of sacrifice? Then from next to me my brave little Tyles, never one to mince words, says, "Fine."
I look around at the other 2, they aren't so sure yet. So I tell Tyler thank you and get up to go retrieve the gifts. As I turn the corner to go down the stairs I here quiet whispering behind me then Katrina and Carter pipe up..."fine, you can get ours too."
I come up stairs whith 2 Nerf guns and a LPS VIP. Tyler says, "cool, I already have one of those" to which Carter agrees. And Katrina breaks into tears, "But thats just what I wanted!!"
I then try to explain to her that if that is how she feels, how excited will the little girl be who gets it. A few minutes of tears and she finally agrees and puts it in her backpack. Little does she know there are 2 more in the basement for Christmas. Let's just hope this one makes it to the Sub for Santa box and not into her desk.
So looks like I have more work to do on the whole "Giving is better than recieving" thing.
I told them I wanted to put some thought into what we were going to do and we'd see. So today as I'm reviewing in my mind what everyone is getting for Christmas, and the piles hidden away in the basement, I had an idea. I called all my kids together and said, "How about we do this... Mom and Dad have already bought you guys a lot of presents. How about I pick out one from each of your piles and you give them to Sub for Santa?" They all eye'd me suspicously. Katrina was the first to speak up, "That depends, can we see it 1st?"
"No, because that would ruin your surprise. The whole idea here is that there are kids that arent getting anything, and you guys alway get lots."
Tyler is sitting nxt to me on the sofa thinking very seriously. Then he looks up and plainly states, "No." to which the other two nod their heads in agreement.
What??? What kind of selfish monsters have I created? "But I thought you wanted to give to Sub for Santa!" Katrina says in that preteen... dugh mom voice, "Yeah, I wanted to go buy something, what if it's something I really want?"
"That's the whole point, giving is supposed to be a sacrifice. Not just going to Walmart with Mom's credit card."
They all sat in slilence staring at me... I was afraid, was I going to loose this battle. Have I really raised children who know nothing of sacrifice? Then from next to me my brave little Tyles, never one to mince words, says, "Fine."
I look around at the other 2, they aren't so sure yet. So I tell Tyler thank you and get up to go retrieve the gifts. As I turn the corner to go down the stairs I here quiet whispering behind me then Katrina and Carter pipe up..."fine, you can get ours too."
I come up stairs whith 2 Nerf guns and a LPS VIP. Tyler says, "cool, I already have one of those" to which Carter agrees. And Katrina breaks into tears, "But thats just what I wanted!!"
I then try to explain to her that if that is how she feels, how excited will the little girl be who gets it. A few minutes of tears and she finally agrees and puts it in her backpack. Little does she know there are 2 more in the basement for Christmas. Let's just hope this one makes it to the Sub for Santa box and not into her desk.
So looks like I have more work to do on the whole "Giving is better than recieving" thing.
Whoa. You know, I think I'm going to try this with my kids. What a great idea. I wonder what their reactions would be?
ReplyDeleteThanks.