I'd like to thank Phil, Stacie, Canadian Penguin, and Ed for your input to my last post about Christmas. You've all given me SO much to think about. Everyone made wonderful points, and I think that the key in all of this, is balance.
Ed, your last post really, really hit home (welcome to my blog!). I think I got it in my head, that if I cut back on gifts and things, and tried to instill in my daughter how I feel now, by imposing it, it could really backfire. Thank you for your 8 cents, it really connected with me. Stacie, your general acceptance that you know what your parents would do, shed a new light and perspective on a situation where I felt just as Phil did. And Phil, I do indeed feel that in some cases, limits are appropriate. And, precious Canadian Penguin - I did suggest bonds, which they do get in addition to the gifts.
Plus, over the weekend, I was talking to a friend of mine who is a grandma, and informed me that she's blessed we share our opinion's with her, because it's helped her to see things through a new perspective for her own daughter. And, she admited, that she's from a generation where you just didn't tell your parents what to do, and when her daughter does tells her what to do, it's very hard.
So, I think that taking it all into consideration, I just need to trust my little girl, set limits where needed and include the grandparents in helping me come up with a solution. At least now, we can use the excuse that we have no space for stuff.
Ed, I've been thinking about your comment, about what made *us* can focus, and mine didn't really change until this year, and I started to appreciate things and cultivate gratitude. Actually, it was the trip to Taiwan that really opened my eyes. I realized, that I came from a background that taught the only way to feel good about yourself, was to be better than everyone else, and that you were "owed" certain things. Which, doesn't leave much space to be grateful for what you feel you are "owed". But, that's another story.
In any case, I think just being aware of gratitude, helping others, and, letting go of the control/over protectiveness on my part, will all help influence my little one.
Thank you all! I hope I continue to get such great insights into different things!
Coming soon... reflection on 2005 and expectations for 2006. Oh, and I hope you'll all have more comments to add!
4 comments:
Hi!
Did I make a mistake before or was my previous comment deleted?
-Ed
Stacie -
I'm open to all comments. I am a gift person too, but, after 5 years of simplifying my life and decluttering, I have a new take on gifts.
Ed -
The only other comment you made was on the post before this. If you made another one, I don't know what happened to it. I can assure you I haven't deleted anything.
In fact, this is the first time in a few days I've posted.
I hope you do repost. I'd love to read your comment.
Thanks! One day I will noodle through this computing thing. I probably typed in the word verification wrong (those things are hard to decypher sometimes!)
The short of it was a funny recounting of how I joke with my nieces that they get too many presents and, as a gag, wrapped up a few frozen entrees (a-la "Better Of Dead") and told them it was all I got them for Christmas. It was funny to watch them try to figure out what the present was and realizing, beneath the wrapping paper, that the gift was really cold.
I'll have to post a blog entry about it.
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