It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas is the word on the lips of both the young and old, even the little ones are singing jingle bells (laughing) and stars on a pear tree, wondering when Santa will bring them a truckload of candy canes.
Christmas ushers in a season of hope, and love and it’s a time for giving and loving up on others, however, we understand that we have our children who have been told several stories of Christmas and they want to forcefully replicate it thereby becoming entitled. This is a season to teach our kids contentment.
As parents, we want to use this season to reiterate our value system to our children and make them understand the most valuable gift you can give them right now that would not dent a hole in our pockets. We understand the economic downturn has affected a lot of parents and you are hiding it from the children, and you would rather keep up appearances that gives them a false reality or truth.
It is time to make them know so they can readjust and come up with creative ways to celebrate and enjoy the season with those around them.
For every believer Christmas is a miracle love letter written by the father to his children. That is the same experience we as parents want our children to have and enjoy.
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Show and tell your children that joy is a choice, it is abiding. Whether mummy or daddy gets me that gift or whether that thing I so longed for at Christmas does not come, choose joy and be grateful for the gift of life that you have.
In this season of Christmas show your children it is about giving. Giving hope to those who seem to be hopeless, giving to the less privileged, giving a helping hand to that neighbour ,or giving my old pair of shoes to that boy who never has anything on his feet. Show your children that it is beyond them, and it is about others and putting a smile on their faces.
Engage in heartfelt activities like writing a love letter of gratitude. Show and teach your children how to appreciate those who have helped them one way or the other, from the drivers, to nannies, chef, security, teachers, friends and their siblings. If you have enough to spare add a gift to their letters and tell them how important these people have been to them and in turn it will evoke a sense of understanding so when they write, they are intentional, and their words are meaningful.
All of the meals and activities we do in this season are things we do all the time, it is not about the turkey, ice cream, Santa’s grotto and lighting it is how we do it, the memories we birth and the culture of love we display that our children will in turn imbibe for their future
I remember one Christmas many years ago, I wanted a type of outfit I had seen on TV, I did not want my aunty Charity to make me a dress, I wanted to walk to the shop with my mum to get one. I sulked so much I never got to say thank you for my dress, I wore it with a frown until I heard all the sacrifices my parents had to go through to ensure we had clothes on our backs and food on our table for Christmas. Of course, Aunty charity gave me a sermon on contentment and satisfaction which I never forgot.
It Is important to teach them contentment, our children should learn to be satisfied with what they have and what they are given, it eradicates theft, greed ,insatiable desires or the thoughts of it, if they desire to have what others have teach them delayed gratification ,let them give reasons for wanting it, if it aligns with your values ,let them earn it or let them wait till you can afford to get it for them.
It’s a season of love, hope, joy and giving, let us involve our children in it and let them experience the beauty and strength of being content and joyful.
Merry Christmas!
