Before all of our birthday and Christmas celebrations, I try to remember to have a "pep talk" with my kids about opening cards and gifts. I ask them to show me their reaction if they open a gift that they don't want, don't like, didn't ask for, is the wrong size/color/shape/quantity, even gifts that they DO want. With gifts they love, we practice showing appreciation and putting it aside without having a fit about taking it out of the package or playing with it immediately.
With gifts they aren't as excited about, I remind the kids not to lie and say, "I love it!" but instead, we discuss other phrases they could say to show gratitude to the gift giver. Regardless of whether they like the gift or not, I want my kids to be grateful. Not only outwardly, but on the inside, as well. Finding something that they like about the present will help them see the "glass half full" in other situations.
Take time in the next couple of days to have a chat with your kids. Make it a family rule that everyone takes turns opening gifts. The gift-giver will feel like their present actually matters in the sea of toys and games!
I will never forget a Christmas a while back when our finances were very tight. (well, one of the years...) I put my foot down and insisted that I buy something small for each of my cousins' children. I shopped and shopped and found amazing tokens of my love, that were within our budget, but things that I thought each kid would really like.
On Christmas Eve, everyone began opening each others gifts and it became a paper-flying, bow-flinging, free-for-all. I waited for each child to find my gift, then watched in horror as they were dismissed and tossed aside like a dirty sock. Granted, my gifts were up against Grandma's big "wow" gifts, but still! I vowed to never let that happen under my roof. Not to mention that it was the last year I bought presents for my extended family.
I'll admit: I can't control what happens in the excitement of the moment. But I can attempt to set them up for success by preparing my greedy little heathens to slow down and properly show appreciation!
With gifts they aren't as excited about, I remind the kids not to lie and say, "I love it!" but instead, we discuss other phrases they could say to show gratitude to the gift giver. Regardless of whether they like the gift or not, I want my kids to be grateful. Not only outwardly, but on the inside, as well. Finding something that they like about the present will help them see the "glass half full" in other situations.
Take time in the next couple of days to have a chat with your kids. Make it a family rule that everyone takes turns opening gifts. The gift-giver will feel like their present actually matters in the sea of toys and games!
I will never forget a Christmas a while back when our finances were very tight. (well, one of the years...) I put my foot down and insisted that I buy something small for each of my cousins' children. I shopped and shopped and found amazing tokens of my love, that were within our budget, but things that I thought each kid would really like.
On Christmas Eve, everyone began opening each others gifts and it became a paper-flying, bow-flinging, free-for-all. I waited for each child to find my gift, then watched in horror as they were dismissed and tossed aside like a dirty sock. Granted, my gifts were up against Grandma's big "wow" gifts, but still! I vowed to never let that happen under my roof. Not to mention that it was the last year I bought presents for my extended family.
I'll admit: I can't control what happens in the excitement of the moment. But I can attempt to set them up for success by preparing my greedy little heathens to slow down and properly show appreciation!
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2 comments:
yes this is what we do. we take turns opening and pause to say thank you to the giver before opening another.
I just had this talk with my boys yesterday!! "Thats very nice of you, thank you!" is a response I ask them to use!
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