(Wait, what?!?! How can you say that? She's adorable! And on a Sunday, no less! What kind of horrible father are you?!)
Now, hear me out. Sunday mornings are our "chill at home" morning. Caylah has this new thing of wanting to go out and get the paper all by herself (picture a 3' tall redhead running/toddling in Barney slippers and you'll understand why I smile every time watching it), and then we all read our own sections over breakfast. I read the pop culture magazines and the comics, while my wife, the more serious one, reads the "actual" news.My daughter, not wanting to be left out, has taken to looking through the ads, which, at Christmastime especially, are plentiful. One habit that she's fallen into, which I don't know to do with, is pointing to different items and saying, "Me want (fill in the blank)". Me want this, me want that, me want doll, me want car.
I don't want to rain on anyone's Christmas parade here, but for all of our talk about this being a season of giving, there is definitely an over-abundance of "wanting" during this time of year as well. And my little two-year-old, as cute as she might be, is no exception.
So dads, here's my question - how do you fight that with your kids? When a highlight of every kid's Christmas is to go sit on Santa's lap and tell him what they want him to bring them, how do you then turn around and convince them that this is, in fact, a season of giving? How do you get your child to think of others, when they're really predisposed to think of themselves? I'd love to hear some practical suggestions on what you've done that's worked, and even roads that you've been down that haven't been as useful. I want her to enjoy the season in every aspect, and I'd love some thoughts on how to make that happen!So, how do you parent your kids through the Christmas season, making sure they love to give as much (or even more) than they enjoy receiving?
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