Have been doing some Christmas contemplating… It all started with my little boy Theo and a Nintendo DS. I have to admit I have been fanatically against the introduction of any kind of video console into our home, and even though “all the other kids have them” I have managed to avoid what I feel is a largely unimaginative toy forming any part of our life, and believe me with a 10 year old in the house this is quite an achievement!

All this aside at some point I had been cunningly negotiated into the agreement (by the children) that if Theo learnt to read (I think I had run out of other potential bribery or motivational options) that he would be bought the much longed for DS. Now this threw up another political family issue, if after all the years of begging, Theo was to be bought one shouldn’t my 10 year old Tallulah get one too???

 

Whilst discussing this very issue my husband, who was less than impressed that this item was once again on the family agenda suggested that instead of buying them both DS’s why didn’t we sponsor them a child each? Now my initial reaction was, hmmmmm how am I going to sell them that one?? But as the weeks have gone on I have not been able to stop thinking about it!

 

We have worked very hard this year (as a family and a business) on coming from a place of gratitude in all aspects of our life and the difference we have all felt and experienced has been remarkable in a very positive way. When I think of my kids and all they have, it seems almost criminal to just keep giving more and more. Scientific research has shown that the pleasure of a material gift on average gives happiness for 6 weeks! The memories of an experience can keep giving throughout a lifetime.

 

My children, as I know many of yours are, are very blessed, great schools, after school activities up the wazoo, buckets and shelves full of toys, holidays, parties, restaurants, cinema and the list goes on… I have watched Christmas after Christmas as the much desired, carefully marketed toy gets unwrapped to be looked at for a total of a minute before the unwrapping of yet another gift begins.

 

It’s wrong in so many ways… we should be teaching our children to value and look after what they have, how can they do this when they are given so many gifts they don’t know which one to play with first? On a practical level, half the bits end up lost before the new year is even here!! We had some friends over for dinner a while ago, and the discussion came up as to whether or not any one could guess how much revenue the merchandising for BEN10 was worth per annum…. And the answer??? a number of billion USD! To coin a phrase WTF even 1 billion dollars worth of plastic crap, and us parents lapped it up we are obviously morons ;0)!

I’m not saying I wont be giving my kids gifts this year, of course I will in fact as I write this we are preparing for a rather long Californian holiday (whopppee) a gift in itself to all of us! I guess my conclusion is, after a lot of thinking, that we will be giving them less, and definitely not a Nintendo DS. We have decided instead to sponsor a child for each of them, and let them get involved with that throughout the year with the letters and photos back and forth… In the hope of providing some perspective and starting to help them realize how rewarding it can be to give as well as receive!

If you feel at all inspired to do the same? For the same as you would pay for a Nintendo DS, less than a Playstation 3 or Xbox, bicycle, skateboard or god knows what else you can sponsor a child for a WHOLE YEAR! for the bargain price of 15GBP per month! http://www.actionaid.org.uk/100044/sponsor_a_child_today.html and really make a difference in somebodies life!

I have also decided to set up a just giving page for save the children, in the hope that some of you (who may feel the above is a bridge to far, or maybe taken over by an overwhelming sense of gratitude for life’s rich bounty and decide to do both ;0)!) reading this may feel inspired to buy 1 less Barbie, transformer, buzz lightyear, baby doll, hotwheels track or the like and instead contribute to some children who truly have nothing. No clean water, not enough food, no access to doctors, medicine or education etc.

 

As my Mum used to say to me “there is more than enough to go around if we all share nicely” I’m not sure on a mathematical level if this is actually true, but I do believe we’re all capable of making a difference!

 

I will now for the time being step off of my soapbox and wish all of you, who are still with me… a beautiful Christmas full of love and laughter! Nat x