| Dear Lanae,
Holiday seasons tend to bring more sources of stress than other times of the year. These can range from the usual financial strains and high expectations among family members, to chaotic world events. On top of these is one stress that always arises for many parents—finding just the right holiday gifts for their children.
Have you noticed how much effort some parents put into finding holiday gifts for their kids? I bet you know someone who doesn’t think twice about spending endless hours—or even days—scouring the Internet for that perfect gift that their child has been wanting.
Let’s think about it. Is there anything wrong with this? What’s the problem with spending lots of time and energy looking for neat and nifty gifts for our kids? Nothing. However, what happens when we exert more energy finding those gifts than showing our youngsters how much of a gift they are to us?
Unfortunately, I’ve done this too. I’ve also fallen into the trap and worn myself out trying to make things so perfect that I’ve forgotten the most perfect gift of all—the expression of never-ending, unconditional love.
We’re all wired to need it. All of us yearn for a relationship with someone who will love us forever, regardless of how stinky we behave. Isn’t this the greatest gift we can give our loved ones? Isn’t this what the holiday season is truly about?
During this holiday season, try to keep the following in mind:
- Spend more time playing with your kids than you spend shopping for them
- Remember that the gift they really yearn for is you
- Hug them and smile into their eyes as often as possible
- Show them through your never-ending, unconditional love what a precious gift they are
Unconditional love is at the core of Love and Logic. As Love and Logic parents, we teach our kids to be responsible for their behaviors and we do it by giving them constant, unconditional love, regardless of whether they make good choices or poor choices. That’s a gift that will last a lifetime for them.
Thanks for reading!
If this is a benefit, forward it to a friend. Our goal is to help as many families as possible.
Dr. Charles Fay
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