Can you picture it? That look in a kids’ eye, that smile on their face as they first see the presents on Christmas morning?
Kids and Christmas morning are just a great combination.
Last year my little munchkin was just 3 months old, so he pretty much had no clue, but I’m pretty excited to see how he reacts this year. There’s just not a kid anywhere who doesn’t like presents.
But there’s something kids want more than the gifts.
They want our time.
Well, we think, we’re spending all of Christmas day with them. And that’s true. But I ran across an idea recently that I just loved and that I can’t wait to use one day.
The Best Gift to Give Your Kids
Ron Blue, founder of MasterYourMoney.com recommends a special gift to give each kid at Christmas: time with you. According to Ron, this gift ended up being the highlight of their day.
- Make a list of 5 – 10 activities that you could do with each child. (They could all be with mom, all be with dad, or a combination – it’s up to you how you structure it.) Each child gets his or her own list. What makes it special is that each activity is one-on-one time.
- Include instructions like these at the top of the list:Â Â This year we would like to give you a gift of a fun activity with _____ [insert Mom or Dad]. Out of all the options below, choose the one that is your favorite, and we will put it on the calendar. You have until dinnertime tonight [or some other deadline] to decide.
- Wrap up each list and put it under the tree or in their stockings.
Not only does this gift give our kids what they want most – more of us – but it also provides an opportunity for us to develop a closer relationship with them. And the deeper our relationship, the more effective we can be at teaching and training them, at speaking to them about what they really need to hear, at truly encouraging and helping them.
What special gift will you give your kids this Christmas? How have non material gifts impacted your life? Share your experience with a comment below.