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Just what do I get the Kids for Christmas this year??!!
RayB:
If all you do is get your kids what they think they want, you're gonna raise just another sheep who's bad at math and graduates high school with a huge sense of entitlement. It's your job as parents to steer your kids and sometimes that means balancing their "pop culture" interests with things that are a little more cerebral. This is especially true for girls who are bombarded with absolutely nonsense. A 9 year old should be perfectly capable of learning to play chess, but most parents underestimate what kids are capable of.
There won't be too many factory jobs left in 10-20 years. Might as well stack the odds in your kids' favor by developing their intellectual side early.
Gray_Area:
Go real old school. Give 'em coal and switches. Except make them dig for the coal and select their own switches. They'll keep - or get - fit, earn their keep bringing fuel to burn for the winter, and stay honest.
shmokes:
Agreed. You have all year to encourage your kids to be smart and disciplined and talented. If what they want happens to coincide with what's good for them, great. But Christmas is a party. Don't spoil the party. You don't need an excuse like Christmas to get you kid something practical. You can do that anytime.
Ond:
--- Quote from: Benevolance on November 22, 2010, 12:35:38 pm ---Ond, what your kids really want is an arcade cabinet. I recommend you check out this thread for some inspiration. It's genius.
--- End quote ---
Yeah it’s a nice cab and all, but that guy is producing some self indulgent show off piece which he seems to take forever to get done. ;D
--- Quote from: shmokes on November 22, 2010, 07:28:53 pm ---…You have all year to encourage your kids to be smart and disciplined and talented. If what they want happens to coincide with what's good for them, great. But Christmas is a party. Don't spoil the party. You don't need an excuse like Christmas to get you kid something practical. You can do that anytime.
--- End quote ---
Christmas IS a party, well said. I usually try for gifts which represent 'good value' which does not necessarily always equate to either practical or educational. I figure Christmas is the one time when you can ask for something that during the rest of the year might be seen as not very practical.
I never did very well in school and couldn’t wait to leave, I was too rebellious, lazy, hung out with the wrong types (in Game Arcades *smirk*) and went to schools which still believed that sarcasm, heavy physical punishment and humiliation in front of one’s peers was the way to get the job of teaching done. I’m so profoundly grateful to have kids that are happy, thriving and doing well at school, granting a few of their wishes is a way to celebrate and reward their whole year. Without the heart and the celebration (Christian or otherwise) behind the gifts, pbjim is right, it is just a kind of pointless consumerist holiday.
That said, I still want to avoid acquiring a whole lot of stuff that looks great on the shelf in its glossy packaging but gets left untouched after one or two uses at home. ‘Landfill’ my wife calls it. Thus my topic post and where you all came in.
BTW I found a local games shop (name escapes me for the moment) which stocks just about ALL the board games mentioned. I ran around excitedly in there pointing them out to my wife “this one is very good, this one won all these awards in Europe”…you get the idea. My wife was impressed, ehhh but I couldn’t take the credit – she knows where I got “the knowledge”. ;D
RayB:
You all make great points Jim, Shmokes and Ond.
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