Jill Pfeiffer is the Great Lakes Bay Moms’ organizer and keeper of the calendars. She is a mother to two beautiful children who keep her on her toes attending story time, play groups and lots of other fun events. In her free moments you can find Jill rowing down the Saginaw River, knitting or trying new homemade meals.
This holiday season show your children how to be generous,
compassionate and loving. Christmas is about family and giving to
others. So many people in our community dread this time of year but
sometimes even the smallest act of kindness helps them through this
difficult time. Share the spirit of giving with your children by
making it a yearly family tradition of helping someone in your community.
How do you do this?
Call a family meeting and have a conversation. Talk about the meaning
of Christmas and discuss how to spread this into the community. Have
some options available but ask your children for their ideas. Create
a plan and follow through with it.
Some ideas:
1. Ask every family member to put $0.25 or more into a jar each week
of the year. For a family of 4 that will add up to $52. With the money:
Adopt a Family – Ask your church leader or the school principal if
there is a family in need. Ask what ages the children are or if the
family has a wish list. Go shopping together and pick out some of
these items. Or buy them a gift certificate at a local grocery store for a
Christmas dinner.
2. Donation – Decide together on a charity to donate the saved money. As
a family drop the check off and and ask how it will be spent.
3. Volunteer as a family at a local soup kitchen or food pantry.
4. Visit a local nursing home and play cards or board games with the
residents.
5. Call a homeless or women’s shelter and ask what is needed for
the families. Go through toy boxes, closets, garages and basements and
pick out items that are in good condition. Together as a family drop them
off.
6. For a year, adopt an elderly neighbor or a family that is having a
rough time and decide how to help them. Maybe shovel their driveway
when it snows, mow their lawns in the summer, rake their leaves in
the fall, take out their garbage, or as a family cook them a meal once a
month.
Most importantly be a positive example to your children. Be kind,
smile through rudeness, slow down and enjoy this time of year with
your family. If some one does an act of kindness try to pay it forward.
Share with us how your family spreads the holiday spirit of giving.