The Gift of Giving

It's that time of year, where everything starts to get a bit festive.

We light candles, we sing songs, we feed our kids tons of sugar (in the form of gelt, candy canes, gingerbread houses, jelly donuts... the terrifying/delicious list goes on) and gather together as a family. Whatever you celebrate, your holiday season probably involves gifts. Gifts are a two-way street; there is a giver and a recipient. Since the holidays are usually focused on kids (and kids have no income -bar pocket money) it's pretty common to forget that kids can be active participants in gift giving.

Teaching your kids how to give 

(1) Gifts don't have to cost much/anything
Even if you are a millionaire, it is worth teaching your kids that gift-giving isn't about monetary value. In fact, if you are blessed enough to be a wealthy family, it is all the more important (in our opinion) to teach your kids that money can never buy the most important things in life. It could be a fun tradition, no matter what financial state your family's in, to include some handmade gifts in the holiday season. A personalized bracelet, an iTunes playlist, a printed photo from your iPhone, a drawing - anything that is totally and exclusively from you only. These kinds of things create memories, not just landfill.

(2) It's the thought that counts
If you have a child with social differences, you will know how vitally important it is to model empathic behavior to your children. The thing about gift-giving is that it encourages people to think outside of themselves and about what somebody else would enjoy. Spend time with your kids, helping them to make a list of who they are giving gifts to. Once you have a list, talk with your kids about what each person likes and what kind of gift would suit them. Make a budget and a timeline - how much money will they have to spend, what kind of resources will they need to buy, how long will it take to get everyone's gifts organized? Not only does this teach empathy, but it also teaches your kids to manage time and money.

(3) Generosity through generations 
If you model generosity year-round to your children, they are more likely to get excited about giving during the holiday season. As parents, it is your job to teach your kids how the world works - and in that sense - you have the opportunity to show them the kind of world you'd like them to create. Let's face it, people who act with generosity are a joy to be around.

Whichever holidays you celebrate, and however you choose to celebrate them, we hope that you all can experience the joys of giving and togetherness. From all of us at Kahlon Family Services, we wish you a safe and happy holiday season.