Our oldest daughter is all about her “stuff.” We have stuffed animals GALORE, toys and trinkets everywhere and things she hasn’t played with or even looked at in MONTHS! When asked to go through her things and get rid of the stuff she doesn’t want, her pile is just a couple of little things that don’t make an impact on the “stuff” she still has. My husband and I have explained to her that things we own aren’t important as the relationships we hold. Unfortunately, when you are six years old, that doesn’t resonate. In trying to rid the house of unwanted and “un-played” with toys, we have found the following to be the most helpful.
- Let your child know who will be getting the things she is parting with. We told our daughter that another little girl would love her things and those things would be played with.
- When she gets one new toy, she must part with one toy.
- We have a “Keep,” “Maybe,” and “Give” pile and they have to be balanced.
- Allow your child to personally give their things to the person receiving them. This allows them to take a certain pride in their good deed.
- Have your child bless someone everyday. In the morning, I simply ask my daughter who she plans to bless for the day. She has to tell me who she will bless and how she will bless them. Then when she returns from school, I ask her how it went and how it made her feel.
- Get involved in community service projects and opportunities. Ask your local church for opportunities that kids can get involved in.
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