This is the first entry for this category, which I thought was only appropriate as the holiday season is upon us. With Tobin's birthday and Christmas all inside just three months, we hear a bit more of the phrase, "Mama, I want..." than I usually like to hear. Last year, in an effort to balance out this desire to receive, I kept Tobin very involved in the shopping, creating and preparing department of the gifts we would give to our friends and family...but I was still looking for something more.
This was when I went to the UNICEF website and registered to have a set of Trick or Treat for UNICEF boxes sent to my home. I checked it out with my son's pre school teachers, and with a note, left a box and some stickers for each child in his class to bring home. In the paper I have listed on the side bar of this blogg {under Books} called, Beyond Ecophobia, Sobel discusses how when it comes to the problems of the world {specifically, the condition of the planet}, we should be careful about what and how we share it with our children. The reason being that we do not want them to feel overwhelmed, helpless and responsible, which Sobel has found to be a common result of {specifically for his study}, certain Earth Day curricula.
With this in mind, my thought was not to overwhelm or depress my little ones by any means. I looked at this as an opportunity to highlight the holiday season as a time of not only giving and receiving, but also of Thankfullness and Gratitude. My little ones still trick or treat for thier candy, but each day when we have extra change, we throw it into the UNICEF box that sits on the kitchen counter. We discuss how people in other parts of the world do not have warm homes and clothing, and how they cannot go to the grocery store to buy the food they would like. We also talk about how becasue of people like, my guy Tobin, his little friends and many other people around the world, we can share what we have {UNICEF sends a very helpful stats list with just what can be purchased from food to vaccinations, for just pocket change}. I don't think that this is overwhelmeing, but is more empowering that anything, for our little ones to feel like they can be a part of making the world a better place. I am pleased to say that last year, about half of the families from Tobin's school choose to participate and we were lucky enough to send about $300 to UNICEF! It is amazing what some pocket change can amount to! Another little girl in his class was so inspired by this, that she asked her mama to print out a letter to start a Holiday Food Drive! I get chills just thinking about how wonderful all of this is!
This year as Tobin is in Kindergarten, I will probably only request a single box from UNICEF. I think this is such a wonderful family giving project, perhaps it is something you;d like to explore with your little ones?
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