It's Christmas time in our house...and I know this because every few minutes my children proclaim yet another thing they would like to add to their Christmas List.
I do a lot to make great Christmas memories for my kids, and of course I want to make their dreams come true...but I'm drawing a line this year!
I remember the Christmas that I demanded a phone from my parents. I was RELENTLESS in my crying, whining, stomping, saying "you don't love me unless I get it"...I was SPOILED!!!! And if I remember correctly, I was 12 ('nuff said). That Christmas, I got my phone and I was over the moon happy and excited and gave a billion hugs and thank yous. This particular Christmas has come up in conversation with my mom a time or two, and she admitted she wanted to return the gift because I was being such a brat...and I honestly wish she had! Yes, the 12 year old me would have been SOOOOOOO mad, but now that I look back, there is no way my behavior should have been rewarded.
Now that I'm a parent, I believe that even more...in fact this year I'm going all sorts of "Bad Mommy" and purposefully not getting an item my kids have been requesting (a robot cat...like we NEED another cat up in here). Yes, we have the funds to get it, but my kids are being blessed with enough already.
The last few years I adhered to the following rules:
- Something they need
- Something to read
- Something they want
- Something to wear
I personally have stuck to this...but that Santa guy goes WAAAAAY overboard!!!! I'm keeping him in check this year and he is going to do less.
This year we will concentrate on giving to those in need, giving to those we love and appreciating time spent together.
This year I'll give the gifts of compassion, contentment and appreciation for the many gifts we have.
I hope the message is well received, although I understand it probably won't be until they are older...and probably have kids of their own! :)
I do a lot to make great Christmas memories for my kids, and of course I want to make their dreams come true...but I'm drawing a line this year!
I remember the Christmas that I demanded a phone from my parents. I was RELENTLESS in my crying, whining, stomping, saying "you don't love me unless I get it"...I was SPOILED!!!! And if I remember correctly, I was 12 ('nuff said). That Christmas, I got my phone and I was over the moon happy and excited and gave a billion hugs and thank yous. This particular Christmas has come up in conversation with my mom a time or two, and she admitted she wanted to return the gift because I was being such a brat...and I honestly wish she had! Yes, the 12 year old me would have been SOOOOOOO mad, but now that I look back, there is no way my behavior should have been rewarded.
Now that I'm a parent, I believe that even more...in fact this year I'm going all sorts of "Bad Mommy" and purposefully not getting an item my kids have been requesting (a robot cat...like we NEED another cat up in here). Yes, we have the funds to get it, but my kids are being blessed with enough already.
The last few years I adhered to the following rules:
- Something they need
- Something to read
- Something they want
- Something to wear
I personally have stuck to this...but that Santa guy goes WAAAAAY overboard!!!! I'm keeping him in check this year and he is going to do less.
This year we will concentrate on giving to those in need, giving to those we love and appreciating time spent together.
This year I'll give the gifts of compassion, contentment and appreciation for the many gifts we have.
I hope the message is well received, although I understand it probably won't be until they are older...and probably have kids of their own! :)
Jen
This post helped me to know about the illusion of control. I think it is the tendency for people to overrate their ability to control different events. It occurs when someone feels a sense of control over outcomes that they demonstrably do not influence.
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