By Regional Extension Agent Sallie Lide-Hooker, Family and Child Development
Christmas is a joyous occasion for many reasons.
It is a time for families, a time for worship, a time to enjoy our children as they open the gifts provided for them.
TEACHING CHILDREN
To make Christmas a special time and teach the concept of sharing to our children, allow them to make a list of gifts they would like to give to others and help them to realize these wishes.
Assist them in making gifts, instilling the idea that they are sharing a part of themselves in their gifts.
If they wish to purchase gifts, allow them to work to earn the money to purchase the gifts. Allow them the opportunity to assist in wrapping the gifts and delivering them.
To further the idea of the importance of sharing, allow them to assist in selecting a less fortunate family, and follow the process of gift or food selection and preparation and then allow them to accompany you when delivering the presents.
Talk to them about how sharing the Christmas spirit makes them feel. Instilling the gift of sharing in childhood will follow throughout adulthood.
Give a child the opportunity to make a “wish list,” explaining they will not receive everything on the list, but you would like some ideas about what they might like.
Then ask them to rank in order what they would like most.
When selecting gifts and toys for children and youth, make sure they are age appropriate. For younger children, toys should not have pieces small enough to fit into a paper towel or tissue role. Anything smaller is a choking hazard.
Consider the child’s interest as well as safety features when selecting toys.
Often parents become very frustrated if the “toy of the year” is at the top of their child’s, and every other child’s Christmas list, and is unavailable.
Then it becomes necessary to convince the child that life will go on if they do not receive “the” gift. Most parents want more and better for their children than they had, and too many parents have a tendency to go overboard at Christmas attempting to make the occasion extra special.
Too late, some parents realize young children often prefer playing with the box the toy came in and the bright wrappings than the toy itself.
Older children often equate the number of gifts others receive without considering that fewer items may be of the same monetary value of a larger number of items and may feel deprived of equality. The parent needs to explain the equal monetary value of the gifts in order to prevent feelings of jealousy or resentment.
It is also the parent’s responsibility to explain the safety aspect of many toys or gifts in order to insure that the child is not injured by misuse or carelessness.
IT’S TRADITION
Another aspect of the joys of Christmas involves developing family traditions.
Families that have the strongest ties have the most traditions or rituals in life. These rituals provide a sense of continuity, understanding and love that strengthens family closeness.
These are also opportunities for families to have “good times” and establish good memories to build upon when times aren’t so good.
In a very positive way, rituals touch the heart of the family and help members to feel good about themselves and each other.
These feelings are carried out through the traditions in which they participate.
The crafts, decorations or special things we do related to holidays or special family events become a part of these traditions and are often carried on from generation to generation.
Christmas is a time to celebrate together the special events in our lives including holidays and special accomplishments by family members.
We can also use these traditions and rituals to connect to our past.
RESOURCES
For additional information regarding Child Development, log on to the Alabama Cooperative Extension System website at Aces.edu.
Select Publications, Family and Child Development and search for the specific topic of interest. Another source of valuable information is CYFARNET.org. This connects one with links to other Extension resources across the United States. Search for the topic of interest.
Your county Extension office is also a valuable resource for research-based information on a wide variety of topics. Call (205) 280-6268 or visit them today.
May each reader and your beautiful family have a wonderful Christmas season, always remembering the reason for the season.