FYI

I've mentioned this to a few friends and family, but I think it's time to make it "official" and get this info to everyone who needs it. I sincerely hope I will not offend anyone by making this request.

DO NOT GIVE MY KIDS ANY TOYS FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR
THANK YOU

Now, here is the explanation behind this request.

#1 - we have a small house. With six people in under 1800 sq ft, we have to be very careful about how much "stuff" comes into the house. There just isn't space.

#2 - my kids have plenty of "stuff" already. Come look at their rooms and you'll see. There is no NEED for more toys.

#3 - my kids do not value the stuff they do have. They do not care for their things. For example: Toys are left out to be stepped on and broken. Legos (despite warnings) remain on the floor and are vacuumed up. Taking toys away does not inspire a behavior change. W's transformers, confiscated a couple weeks ago, remain out in the garage. When he asks about them, I tell him what he needs to do to get them back. His response? "oh." and he moves on to play with something else. And this directly relates to #4....

#4 - my kids' struggle with entitlement. They do not value what they have. They do not value work. They struggle to understand the connection between hard work and achievement. They want things to be "easy" and when they're not - my kids tend to give up. W won't work to get his transformers back, he just asks me for "dollars" so he can by new ones. Here's a great article on this issue, please read it: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700174443/The-age-of-entitlement-Selfishness-is-rampant-but-can-be-corrected-experts-say.html?pg=1 Turns out my kids aren't the only ones who struggle with this. The amazing thing to me is that I'm a pretty strict mom, the kind who says "no" a lot. My kids have chores. They get no allowance. I limit how much and what kind of "stuff" they can have. And yet, we battle entitlement every day. With this entitlement epidemic surrounding my kids, I have to be even firmer in the hopes of undoing what they've learned.

So, what would I like you to give my kids this year?
#1 quality time (honestly, it's what they would appreciate the most. Come visit. Come play.)
#2 experiences (i.e. gift cards/tickets - zoo, museum, theatre, musicals, etc)
#3 books (my kids LOVE LOVE LOVE to read and reading does not contribute to an entitlement mentality. You have to put forth effort to get anything out of them. A list of titles/ideas available on request)
#4 clothes (with our budget, clothes are appreciated. A list of what they could use is available upon request.)

Feel free to combine any of the above For example, you can combine #1 #2 and #4 by taking a child out to buy a pair of shoes. They get quality time with someone they care about, an experience to remember and the new shoes they need. :)

Please, no toys, games, nicknacks, craft supplies, videos, etc. And if you're not sure if an item falls into that "no, no" list, please ask.

Your support with this is GREATLY appreciated.