Gift giving this year is going to look a bit different and I want each present I give to my children to reflect my parenting goals for them.
Goal #1: I want my children to be captivated by the person and work of Jesus Christ, to be amazed at the love and goodness of their Heavenly Father and to fully depend on the perfect and continuing work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Goal #2: I want my children to grow up in an environment that teaches them to prize, cultivate and express their personal creativity.
Goal #3: I want my kids to enjoy learning about nature and exploring the great outdoors. I want them to experience the freedom to physically exhaust themselves as they learn to use and master their physical strengths and weaknesses.
Goal #4: to give them a gift that encourages them in and rewards them for an area in their life in which they are especially gifted or are making great progress.
.... because I don't just want to give them more stuff. What is your philosophy of benefaction?
4 comments:
big questions jaquelyn! i'll have to think about it...but i'm curious...what type of gift/s fulfill these goals? my guess is that your kids don't read your blog...so whatcha getting them?
Since the kids are pretty small and still concrete thinker Goal #1 is simple. I'm making them a bag to keep their AWANA stuff, a notebook, their Bible and some writing utensils. I want them to know that the word of God is where it starts and in order to read and memorize it you need to know where it is and have it ready to bring with you to church and AWANA.
Goal #2 art supplies specific to their age and stage. (Zak wants some small needle work kits. He's been begging me to learn how to sew for ages)
Goal #3 something that encourages physical activity/ exploration. They boys are getting a little kid version of a swiss army knife that has a magnifier, compass, flashlight and new roller blades.
Goal #4 Zak gets a book series (TBD) Eliot gets something he can build and Eliannah gets an apron to encourage her attitude of helpfulness and to train her to be a little mama.
I know that doesn't fully cover it but I find I can't come up with a good gift until I can think of why I am giving a gift and how a gift ultimately will benefit the other person ... and yes, I do know that I'm over-thinking it.
Everything you said! What an awesome idea to help and edify your children as they grow- as well as to spend time teaching them ho to cultivate these things in themselves. How wonderful! (I am stealing these thoughts for future years. hope you don't mind.)
I don't think you're overthinking it, but then the most common criticism I receive is that I'm overthinking [whatever], so....
One thing I would have in mind for holiday gift giving is that such gifts for children, like feasts for adults, provide the incentive and excuse to delight in observing regular remembrances of God's work, and to let such regular remembrances form patterns in our lives which cut against the grain of our merely secular cocnerns.
And I say this despite having become very much an "esteemeth every day alike" person by disposition and habit. :-)
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