The Lightbulb has gone off! An article that may just change my life!!!!

I opened my Family Fun magazine last night while in the car with the family running errands. I read an article from a mom who was mortified when her kids ripped open Christmas gifts, never saying Thank you, and not learning how to be grateful, gracious, and appropriate. I loved the very clever and creative way she remedy’s the situation. I told Bri last night I wanted to try it.

Then I checked my e-mail last night from the Moms Group I am a member, and another mom must have also loved the article because she posted the link to it in our bulletin.

The article is below

http://familyfun.go.com/playtime/the-art-of-gratitude-807117/

If you don’t want to read it, the gist is to practice giving and receiving gifts. Take a Christmas bag and put something around the house in the bag. Give it to the child. Show them; teach them to look at you when they first receive the gift and before the open in and say “Thank you____”. The person who gave the gift says “You are Welcome” Then the child opens the gift and pulls out whatever item it is. They then have to say something nice about the item and again look the giver in the eyes and say “Thank you for the ________”. This teaches the child how to be patient, say nice things, and be grateful for whatever the gift is. While playing the game, you then take turns and the child gets to go hunting for the perfect gift and you can show by example how to receive the gifts. This also shows that giving is just as special and receiving.


So today, after lunch and before naptime, I decided to try it! We had so much fun!!! A Blast. I thought it would take a few turns to get the hang of it but he did amazing!!!!!! The first couple I put toys in the bag and he did good coming up with things to say “I love this police man because he’s kinda like a firefighter and they are my favorite” or “ this tractor is cool because it helps harvest the corn in the fields”. Then I made it more difficult. I put a pair of socks in the bag. He giggled some and when I told him he still needed to say something nice about the gift since someone had put it in the bag just for him, he thought for a second and said, “I like the socks because they help my feet from being so stinky!” HA!!! I loved it! I praised him over and over and told him how perfect a comment that was. Butt cream: “this will help Mara’s bottom feel better when she poops!” Hand Sanitizer: “ooh, I like this cause it makes my hands smell good”

We put it away for awhile but with the promise we would play LOTS before our first Christmas celebration so he could practice how to give and get gifts with good manners. A big smile and he ran to the other room….My job of being a good mother was accomplished today- DONE!