Giving after Christmas

We all give and think about giving during the holidays. However, what about after the holidays are over? We have our children give their no longer wanted toys away to a shelter or the salvation army every year. However, instead of just throwing their no longer needed toys and clothes in a bag and calling it good, we take a little extra effort to make sure every doll is dressed and their hair is brushed with ribbons, we take extra care to make sure all game pieces are there and functionable, we wash clothes again to make sure they are stain free with no holes, and we package them nicely in boxes to give away. A couple of times we have known of a family that needed the toys and were happy to give them a big box full of clean nice toys. It is an activity that we use in our family to remind ourselves that while others may be less fortunate they do deserve the best of things also.
After the Christmas rush and stash is over we take time to find things to give. Not only does it help us to keep our clutter under control, but it really touches the hearts of our children to be able to take time to give of themselves. It causes them to appreciate all they have throughout the year.

Create a Child's Journal Jar

Create a writer with this easy to make journal jar. It's as simple as a mason jar filled with journal prompts, and a notebook and pen. Each day in the evening have your child pull a strip out of the jar paste it on a new notebook page and answer the question. Some days it may be as simple as "what planet is your favorite and why" other days it may be as difficult as "what do you like/ not like about school". This sets your kids up to record their lives and gives them an invaluable gift to look back on someday.

We know much of what we know of history today because people kept journals. Journaling is a window into your soul. Even though your child is answering simple questions, they are searching their true being to answer them. It gets them reflecting on what makes them motivated and why. This is a great tool to use for your kids and for yourself. If you have never tried to journal, why not start now. There are websites like this one, that will help you get started. Print out the suggestions and get writing. When the jar is empty try making prompts for each other. Let your kids give you prompts and you give them some.

At the end of the month, or year maybe take one night and read your favorite entries together.

Making Christmas Ornaments

Every year our kids make ornaments for the Christmas tree. Since they were little we have been collecting them and storing them. We have simple ones made of construction paper, plaster of paris hand prints, and even collectibles we have been given by the grandparents. While our tree may not win most exquisite tree of the year, it is top notch in our children's eyes. I love to see the joy in their eyes when they remind Grandma that they made this one when they were 2 years old, or that they painted that one when they were 4. We have enjoyed reminiscing about the ballerina ornament my daughter received when she was in the Nutcracker Ballet, and the boy scout figurine my son received last year. It's fun to see them talk about their past and remind them of all the fun they have had and all the memories that are stored in their hearts. As the years go on I know our memories will stay fresh as we spend time each year decorating the tree and talking.

My kids do not know it, but when they get married I will present them with a box of ornaments for their first tree. Maybe I will even include a new ornament for the occasion.

Gifts to bring out the child in all of us.

Last year for Christmas we bought our children several games that were intended to get us all moving. While we loved our WII and enjoyed more than anything racing each other, playing tennis and having cook-offs we still spent a lot of time in front of the TV. My husband and I set out to find some other fun interactive games that would keep us all moving and laughing while providing a non TV system. We were successful and found some great games. Here are three that we bought and have enjoyed this year.

HYPER DASH

Hyper Dash, the Target-Tagging Race Course Game! Set out the 5 targets to build the course any way you want it. Hyper Voice calls out the commands, from simple to super tricky. Race to tag the targets with the hand held unit in the correct sequence-fastest time wins!

For 1 - 8 Players.

We enjoyed placing these all over the house and having to run to find them. Our kids favorite was putting it at the end of a long wooden floor and having to slide to get to it. It was never boring as we could change the course anytime we wanted.

Cosmic Keep Away

Slide on one of the colored hand bands and choose the game. This talking ball will choose the teams. Now throw the ball quickly back and forth. But don’t let the player in the middle intercept it, or the know-it-all ball will call a penalty. And with three modes of play, you can keep the fun going for hours! Game 1 – Team Countdown: Complete 20 passes by keeping the ball away from the other team. Game 2 – Classic Keep Away: Make the most passes before a player in the middle intercepts the ball! Game 3 – One-Minute Keep Away: How long can you pass the ball before it gets intercepted? This was a great game for outdoor play. My husband and kids love to throw a football around and this added a nice twist that even I enjoyed playing.

SWINXS

Swinxs is the first screen-free games console that can play games, talk, listen and keep kids entertained and active for hours. Swinxs is durable, lightweight water-resistant and cordless. Its long-lasting battery approximately four hours of playtime ensures hours of fun whether in the playroom, at the park or at the beach. While a single player mode is available, up to 10 children can play Swinxs at a time, making it a great option for birthday parties. The package includes a Swinxs Console with 10 games pre-loaded, 4 colored wristbands, an adapter and USB cable.

This game is on the more expensive side but combines the first two games and more into a go anywhere game console. Play tag on the beach, take it camping for a night time game, or take it to grandmas house to keep the kids entertained.
The most important thing to remember is that our kids love it when we play a game with them. Finding a game that is just as challenging and fun for adults as well as the kids can lead to hours of quality time together and will make lasting memories for your children.

Date Night

One of the best things you can do for your growing family is to take a night off with your spouse. A date night once a month or once a week can help to keep you grounded and let you talk about the things that matter most. Date night does not have to include dinner in a fancy restaurant, a movie and dessert. Between that and paying a babysitter it can get expensive.

One way to cut the cost and ensure you will continue going out is to trade babysitting with another couple. My sister in law and I used to trade weeks. She would watch my kids on Friday night and the next week I would watch hers. It was free and easy. My husband and I enjoyed getting out and not worrying about taking too much time. We knew our kids were in good hands.

During the summer it's easy to save money by taking a picnic dinner to your favorite park and walking a trail afterward in the cool of the evening. When the weather turns cold heading to the local coffee shop for dessert can keep your budget in tack while still spending good quality time together.

Try to avoid running errands, shopping or bringing up past grievances. Take this time to reconnect so that you can in turn come back refreshed and ready to spend time with the kids again.

Span the Generations with Card Games

Some of my favorite memories growing up and even now as a mom with young children have been playing games with the extended family during the holidays. I love it when everyone, young and old, can sit around the living room or table and play a game that puts us all on equal ground. While kids love video games, grandparents can find them challenging and frustrating. A wonderful medium is card games like Uno and Skipbo, or games like Catch phrase and Would you Rather. These games can be played by many people at once or team up to make it more fun.

My family likes to play a game we call "dictionary". You would use the dictionary to look up a word you were sure most people did not know. Everyone was asked to write down a definition that could convince the other players that it was the correct one. Who ever got a vote for their definition got a point. The person with the most points won. We had more fun playing with a simple book and paper then any other game we could come up with. The creative and sometimes complex definitions that came up would have us laughing for hours. This game is a great way to get teens and their grandparents involved together.

During the holidays instead of the kids going off to play video games, and the grandparents heading into the living room to chat, why not pull them all together this year and play a game. Grow some wonderful memories for your family.