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The Best Gifts We Can Give Our Kids

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As parents, we love to make our children happy. We purchase the expensive iPhones, hoverboards and Hatchimals to see that flicker of happiness on their faces when they open their presents, but soon the joy from those gifts fades. Perhaps the best gifts that truly matter can’t be wrapped at all, and perhaps the joy from these gifts create memories that last a lifetime.

Boredom. It never fails. You’re at home on a Sunday afternoon, and your kids say, “I’m bored!” As parents we do our best to keep our children busy with activities. However, unstructured downtime can result in kids’ following their passions and using their imaginations in ways that structured playtime does not allow. Their boredom might lead to a discovery of that long-lost toy they forgot about, the creation of a fun game with their siblings or even the development of a new hobby they love.

Your Undistracted Time. We’re all guilty of checking our work emails, Facebook and Instagram accounts while we are with our kids. Being fully present with our children makes them feel loved, important and a priority. Make a daily goal to spend one-on-one time with your kids with absolutely no distractions. Turn off the TV, put down your cell phone, close your laptop and hang out with your child for a while. Those work emails can wait. Whether you play their favorite game, take a walk, let them cook with you or play Barbies, give them your full attention. Next time you’re in the car, try answering all of your 3-year-old’s 20 questions with thoughtful answers…yes, ALL of them! And don’t worry about taking snapshots of these moments to post on social media. The best moments will stick with us, even without the photos!

Chores. The gift of chores might not be one that your children would like to accept, but they’ll reap many benefits from helping around the house. The Center for Parenting Education says involving children in household tasks at an early age can have a positive impact later in life. “Research indicates that those children who have a set of chores have higher self-esteem, are more responsible and are better able to deal with frustration and delay gratification, all of which contribute to greater success in school.” So don’t feel bad next time you ask your kids to do the dishes. It’s good for them! To add a little fun and motivation to the mix, create a chore chart and give rewards when your kids complete their weekly chores!

A Giving Heart. Teach your children to be grateful and to help others. Take them to help at the food kitchen, have them donate their old toys to children in need, drop off canned goods at the local food bank, help them raise money for a cause close to their hearts. Use these experiences as teachable moments. By giving to those in need, they will learn how fortunate they really are and they will grow into kind, compassionate and giving adults.

Financial Advice. Teach your children the value of a dollar from a young age. Beth Kobliner, author of the New York Times bestseller Get a Financial Life, tells Forbes Magazine children as young as 3 years old can grasp financial concepts like saving and spending. Kids can learn how money works by simply starting to save spare change in their penny banks. Take them to the bank to deposit their change into their very own savings accounts. As they get older, involve them in your buying decisions by comparing prices at the grocery store. As they reach their teens, explain the dangers of credit cards before they learn by mistake on their own, and make them earn their weekly allowance. Most importantly, set a healthy financial example for your children to learn from. They will thank you many years from now.

Love of Reading. Reading to your children every day will quickly become a habit for them, and they’ll more likely be avid readers in adulthood. Children who read acquire knowledge, an expanded vocabulary, critical thinking skills and imagination. They also learn about different cultures and develop empathy for people who are different from themselves. Not to mention, reading is a great way to keep them entertained when the dreaded “I’m bored” comment rolls around. A trip to the library for their very own library cards is a fun way to get your kids excited about reading!

Experiences. Help your children make their best memories with the gift of experiences. Enjoy family traditions during the holidays, organize a playdate with friends, take a trip to the Kansas City Zoo, let them be creative at Kaleidoscope, try to escape at Breakout KC, organize a scavenger hunt for them and their friends, camp out in the backyard, have pizza and game night every week. These experiences are what memories are made of, not the giant Paw Patrol Lookout Tower they just have to have for their next birthday.

According to T. Rowe Price’s eighth annual Parents, Kids and Money Survey, 41 percent of parents spend more than $200 on birthday presents for their children each year. Trying to spend less on gifts this year? Cut back by purchasing just four items:

Regan Lyons is a freelance writer who lives in St. Joseph with her husband and 3-year-old daughter.

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