TOO MUCH?!?

I recently have been thinking about how close Livia's birthday is to Christmas and how it seems like she is expecting gifts daily lately. I think the hardest challenge is to not spoil your kid. I have asked her to spend some time with me in her room so we could find some toys she could donate to good will since she has received so much for her birthday and Christmas is around the corner. I also thought this article was really helpful in giving some pointers- her name is Dr. Stacy (a pediatrician and mother) who has a great blog I check out every now and then:

"Thanksgiving is over, our stomachs are full of good food, and December is just around the corner. That means that it's time to start thinking about Christmas. And Chanukah. And Kwanzaa. And what we are going to be giving our kids for the holidays.

But with the recent toy recalls and the news that dangerous toys are still on the shelves in stores, it's hard to figure out what to buy our children. That plus the fact that they already have so much stuff. Do they really need another toy?

Perhaps this is the perfect opportunity to start instilling the value of "gift giving" instead of "gift receiving." Not only will you not have to worry about the safety of the toy and whether your kids will actually use the toy but you can teach them the spirit of giving. And you will be able to do an activity together - as a family.

Children of practically any age, even as young as 2 years, can learn the importance of giving to others. I think it's very important for our children to be directly involved in the gift giving - or it won't mean much to them and they won't derive much pleasure from the experience. Donating money probably won't have much of an impact on them. But baking cookies and delivering them to a shelter will.

Some families like the idea of gift giving but don't know where to start. I know families that take one day of Chanukah and, instead of giving gifts, do something for others. Some families make meals at a homeless shelter every Christmas Eve. It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you do it. The possibilities are endless.

Here are a few quick, simple ideas --

For younger children:

Bake cookies and bring them to a shelter (make sure your shelter accepts homemade food)
Make cards and deliver them to the elderly or a hospital
Help make decorations for a local shelter or hospital
Get a group together and sing at a nursing home
Help pick up trash at a local park
For older children --

Volunteer at a homeless shelter, either making meals or sorting canned goods
Start a canned food drive in your community for a local shelter
Hold a bake sale and send the money to an organization of your family's choosing
Make a meal for a family in need
Go through old books, toys and clothes that you don't need anymore and donate them to a local charity
These days it is very easy to find volunteering families for your family by doing a quick search online. You can search for "volunteering activities in _______" (your town), search on Volunteer Match by city, or check out a teen and preteen website called Do Something. Or if your family is interested in a particular cause, such as disaster relief or homelessness, search by the topic online. One last useful place to look is at a local church or synagogue."

I am really going to make an effort now that Livia is so impressionable about the art of gift giving this year- It is such an important quality to instill in your child.