Parenting
Perspectives on Parenting©
by Nancy Lambert Davenport
Nancy Davenport's Column:
For Richardson News 06-27-99
Copyright Nancy Lambert Davenport 1999
"A Gift Sends Messages To Kids"
There was much celebrating at our house this weekend. We had Father's Day of course with all its significance. In addition we had my birthday. The gift giving was tricky, but I think we all did well.
When our children were young and going to birthday parties almost weekly, the gift giving was a strain. I hated going and buying a silly toy that would be broken or forgotten in fifteen minutes. My policy was, whenever ever possible, to give something with which to create or something that would encourage exercise. They were never the flashy present that everyone oooh-ed and aaah-ed at when it was opened, but often they were the most used later.
One year I bought a large chalkboard for each birthday celebrant. Another year it was a large pad of newsprint rolled around a box of fruit-smelling colored markers.
Some other ideas are:
- Wood scraps, a hammer, nails, screws and screwdriver, and a tape measure with pencil in a nice little toolbox.
- A fishing pole, tackle box, and basic tackle-and a fishing outing if you dare.
- A box full of stars, pens, stencils, scissors with rippled edges, colored paper, and a hole punch.
- A basic needlework design with the child's name, the yarn, needle, and instructions necessary to complete the project. Write the instructions on a card and laminate it or have a lesson as part of the gift.
- A coin collecting folder and a sack of a hundred pennies that you have "seeded" with some winners.
- A goldfish in a bowl with food and instructions.
- An overnight bag with new toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, and P.J.'s.
- A recipe for oatmeal cookies (or other known favorite) and ingredients. Including the eggs are fine, so long as they are not out of the refrigerator too long. Just cut off a portion of the egg carton for transport. Write the recipe on a card and laminate it.
An easy sewing pattern with fabric, thread and needle, pins, a cute pincushion, hooks and eyes, and some good sewing scissors. I still have the ones my grandmother gave me when I was a little girl. They are lefties, which was a must.
Kids may have to rise to the occasion to be able to use some of these items on the list. That would be good. Letty Pogrebin once said that the gifts we give to children "carry an unspoken message about the kind of people we wish, hope, and believe they can become." I will add that what we give kids also can say that we don't expect much from them when it comes to imagination, agility, or ability, so we need to be careful in choosing gifts for kids. We may be helping to mold their future.
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Nancy Lambert Davenport
EMAIL: ndavenport@ticnet.com
URL: http://www.nancyldavenport.com