I think that one of the most important things we can do as parents is teach our children the importance of giving back. Last year we started a new tradition in our home that we call the 12 days of Christmas Kindness. For the twelve days leading up to Christmas, the kids do some sort of service project or good deed for others. Today, we had a snow day, so the kiddos bundled up and we walked down the street to our elderly neighbor's house and shoveled and salted his sidewalk.
Sadie was in charge of the shoveling. Noah was in charge of the salting, but he didn't want to have his picture made. Miles was in charge of standing there for moral support, which he did well with for about 20 seconds.
Until he remembered that he hates the cold and the snow and started crying uncontrollably.
He touched the snow and then spent the next half an hour beating his cold hand against the couch and screaming, "NO!" As our Christmas Kindness to Miles, we let him come in and put his chattering teeth in the tub while the rest of us enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows. It has been noted that the other 11 days of Christmas Kindness will need to take place indoors!
Here's to hoping that these lessons serve as a reminder to my children that Christmas is not all about receiving!
