It's so easy to get caught up in the magic of season when you're a grandmom!
My little guys are 10 and 2 now. So big ¦ and so little. So serious ¦ and so mischievous. One into electronics and one into everything else!
There is no light that shines brighter than a child's eyes at the sight of a twinkling tree. There is no sweeter suspense than the magic of waiting for Santa. But there is a deeper meaning that a grandmom needs to impart.
I have a tradition with my 10-year-old “ the serious one “ that started years ago. We go shopping together to buy gifts for his mom, dad and little brother. He uses his own money, selects the gifts, wraps them and looks forward to their surprise on Christmas morning. I want him to know the deep joy of giving.
Now, a 10-year-old has little way to earn money. With his parents ™ permission, I started paying him for As and Bs in school by second grade. I told him school was his job and he needed to do the best he could do with his studies. I check his progress reports and we discuss his studies, as I am fortunate to live close by. He has a bank where he saves some and a wallet for his spending money. He has chores at home (like Poopy Scooping for his dogs) and earns some there too. And he can do chores for Mimi and PawPaw at our house. We ™ve even come up with some creative summertime endeavors to add to the bank.
We ™ll hit Target next week. He knows what he wants to buy for each family member. He checks the price of each item and considers his purchases well. And on Christmas morning ¦ he is so PROUD to offer these gestures of love.
The 2-year-old brought me his monies yesterday. He counted his pennies, nickels and dimes (they are all the same to him right now) and wanted to go shopping for mommy, daddy and brother. I almost kept the tears out of my eyes!
I want them to know that the true joy of the season is the joy of giving.
Rhonda Page (the Burb Grandmom)
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