It is easy to find ourselves, and our children, all tied up in the busyness of the holiday season forgetting the true importance of this time. Try to remember to include some time to give thanks for the many things that you have. Before sharing our Thanksgiving meal, it is our tradition to go around the table stating what things each of us is thankful for. In these troubled financial times, I know it is sometimes hard for children and adults to find things to be thankful for but remembering friends, family, and shared memories may be a good place to start. Make the effort to share the things that you are thankful for with your children. Listen carefully to what they are thankful for, sometimes great wisdom comes out of the mouths of babes.
As our children approached the "tween" years and started to really develop the "gimmies" during the holiday season, we began participating in activities that had us all giving back to our community. Some of the activities that we have participated in over the years include: helping feed the homeless on Thanksgiving, being a shopping assistant at a church or Salvation Army Christmas store, raising money for a good cause, and collecting food for the food bank. The list of ways to give back is endless, and the rewards of doing this as a family are great.
Many times children ask what difference can one person make. I suggest replying to this by giving examples of individuals who single handedly changed the world like Rosa Parks, Mother Theresa or the boy in my community who collects enough food each year to feed 500 families. A movie that my family loves to watch that really brings the point home that one person can make a difference is Pay It Forward. Be aware that there is some pretty heavy content in this movie, so it is not meant for young children, but it is well worth a watch for the inspirational message that it gives all of us.
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