by Jan Pierce, M.Ed.
T
he Christmas gifts are wrapped and piled in a beautiful array under the tree. When the
children open them, some of their holiday dreams will come true and everyone will be filled with
holiday joy.
Now, fast forward to a week or two later, those longed-for toys and games are either broken or they’ve
become just another part of the possession pile—almost passé.
Before you wonder if Scrooge is writing this article, let me say I love Christmas. I love giving presents and I
love watching children open them. But allow me put in a good word for the type of gifts that will keep on
giving pleasure, inspiration and educational benefit long after the holidays are over.
After reading through these ideas, you might put a bug in the grandparents’ ear. They’ll be happy to
provide some of these long-lasting, valuable gifts as their Christmas offerings. Here they are:
From music lessons, to art, drama, dance and sports, the gift of a series of lessons in some skill area
will add character-building traits to your child’s personality. The child who learns to practice diligently,
focus on a skill, set goals and meet them, experience defeat and then move on to victory, that child
has gained lifelong benefits.
Ask your children some questions. Listen to their discussions while they’re dreaming of what they
want to be or accomplish in their lives, and research the best teachers and schools in your area.
Choose from individual lessons with one on one attention or group lessons which can be a wonderful
starting point in a new skill.
Studies show, more and more clearly, that
children with the ability to focus their
attention and follow through with practice
become better learners in every subject area.
Magazine subscriptions, books of the
month and other learning materials that
arrive at your child’s doorstep on a regular basis instill a love for learning. Children look forward
to the next issue, the next story, the next episode. They enjoy being “old enough” to have
something come in the mail just for them.
There are fantastic books and magazines available for children. From literature to science,
math, geography, history and more, the wealth of information available is quite wonderful. You
know your child. You’ll know the types of reading materials to purchase. And as your child grows,
so can the reading and interest levels of the subscription. There are excellent choices for all ages.
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MAGAZINE