Every Christmas we have a tradition where in the month of December we do something thoughtful for someone once a day. We write what we did on a popsicle stick and put it in a BIG FELT Christmas tree Advent Calendar that hangs on a closet
(you might have it at Potterbarn Kids ). On Christmas Eve, we wrap up the sticks to give to Santa and put them out with the cookies and milk. To be honest, it was like pulling teeth to get Hayden to do it. Not the kid with the most philanthropic spirit – it is something I try and encourage all the time. He is just that kid – who doesn’t get that everybody doesn’t live a life like his. So yesterday when his homework came home, I saw this… and at first I thought it was a drawing of just a Christmas tree but then I read what he wrote. I looked at him and asked, “Hayden,is that the giving tree? ” He smiled and said “yes” . Here we are in September and something that I thought was more of a burden at times to do had made an impact. Sometimes even though we think it isn’t sinking in, sometimes when it is harder for us to keep on top of them to teach them life lessons, sometimes when you just want to forget about it….sometimes it really does make a difference,…even if we don’t see it right away.
Bethany - How sweet is that !