| Christmas seems to bring out undue stress in | | | | complete with animated character voices. An |
| parents. Some are so worried about providing | | | | elderly couple said hello and remarked that you |
| material presents for their children and that if | | | | don't get to see that as much these days. |
| they don't provide everything on the wish list the | | | | I used to try and think of ways to turn ordinary |
| children will be crushed. The best way to prevent | | | | days into teachable moments. On Halloween one |
| this scenario is to begin teaching our children the | | | | year, there was a coupon in the paper for a |
| joy of giving at an early age. | | | | dozen donut holes for twenty-five cents. I used |
| One memory from childhood was the creative | | | | this as a math lesson. I collected three coupons. I |
| touch that a single neighbor lady used to make | | | | gave each child a coupon, a quarter and a few |
| the holidays a special time for neighborhood | | | | pennies in case there was tax. I waited outside |
| children. She was not married and didn't have | | | | and sent them in, each being a customer. I |
| children. She went to our church. The tradition | | | | explained how to give the cashier the coupon and |
| began with a block Christmas party. The first | | | | coins and ask for the advertised special. For less |
| year, twenty children attended. The next year | | | | than a dollar, I got in a math lesson and they got |
| only a handful of children attended. Eventually, it | | | | some goodies. |
| was just my friend and I. The tradition expanded | | | | One thing you can do to teach your children the |
| to all the holidays until high school. | | | | meaning of Christmas is to have a multicultural |
| For Christmas every year, we made hand made | | | | tree, with ornaments from around the world. You |
| paper ornaments to decorate the lady's grapefruit | | | | can sponsor a child in another country and |
| tree in the back yard. We brought out a toy | | | | purchase a gift as a family through a special |
| organ and sang Christmas carols. We used the | | | | catalog. In some countries, families need animals |
| figures from the Nativity scene to act out the | | | | such as a goat, to make milk and cheese. Some |
| Christmas story. The gifts she gave us were | | | | families need chickens so they can have eggs. By |
| grooming samples wrapped with miniature bows. | | | | doing an activity as a family, you are teaching |
| We went to the ice cream store to pick out a | | | | them the value of giving to others. |
| color coordinated flavor. | | | | If you can use everyday activities as teachable |
| At Halloween, the lady helped us make home | | | | moments, your child will learn the values of |
| made costumes with items from around the | | | | gratitude, hospitality and appreciation. Once they |
| house. We came back every hour and made up a | | | | have learned these values, the holidays become |
| new costume. This was when it was still safe to | | | | more pleasant. The holidays were not originally |
| go trick or treating. We went to the ice cream | | | | intended to be only for the purpose of receiving |
| store and got pumpkin flavored ice cream. | | | | material items. They were intended to bring joy |
| When my children were young, I enjoyed taking | | | | to the giver and receiver by the thoughtfulness |
| them to all the fun community activities during the | | | | of a kind deed. One day, when your children |
| summer. All of them were free of cost and we | | | | become parents, you will have the joy of |
| had a wonderful time. Once when we were at a | | | | watching them teaching their children how to give |
| local bookstore, we were snuggled up in the | | | | and receive from the heart. |
| corner on the couch as I read a book to them, | | | | |