The holidays are right around the corner, and children everywhere are busy creating wish lists. However, did you know that human development studies have found that children learn more from giving gifts than receiving gifts?
According to Leslie Hundt, Program Coordinator of Ebenezer Child Care Centers with locations in Downtown Milwaukee, Oak Creek, and West Allis/Wauwatosa, “Gift giving covers many of the virtues we discuss regularly in our child care centers, and it is a wonderful opportunity to help children learn and grow.”
Hundt points out that these virtues are all tied to giving:
Caring
Making a gift or card for someone shows you care about them..
Kindness
When you give a thoughtful gift, you are showing kindness.
Empathy
Understanding people’s needs and giving gifts accordingly shows your that you are compassionate and empathetic.
Hundt adds that gift giving can provide a family with the opportunity to talk about their values and what is important to them.
“For instance, you may decide as a family that, instead of giving ‘things’ this year, you are going to give the gift of time to loved ones, so you can have shared experiences and make memories together.”
Hundt adds that gift giving can also teach compassion when you buy gifts for families in need such asblankets and mittens for the homeless or food for the hungry. You can also extend this concept with the gift of time by volunteering at organizations in your area.
“There are many ways to teach your children about the importance of conscious gift giving and showing care and compassion for others,” says Hundt.
“The important thing is that you start by involving them in conversations. Help them understand what a good gift for someone is and let them choose or create gifts themselves.”
“By using virtues, you help children develop this conscious gift giving process which has a lasting impact on how they treat others well into their adulthood. It is time well spent.”
Ebenezer Child Care Centers is a not-for-profit, locally based agency committed to providing early childhood programs from the heart. The agency prides itself on being different from other child care providers in that it offers a home-like atmosphere; individualized, nurturing care; and a structured curriculum that is virtues-based for every child’s developmental stage.
Every Ebenezer Child Care Center focuses on all aspects of a child’s development: cognitive, physical, emotional, and social. In addition to providing quality care, the agency also offers other educational programming all aimed at helping parents.
The agency has locations in Downtown Milwaukee, Oak Creek, and West Allis/Wauwatosa. The agency’s main office is located at 1138 S. 108th Street, West Allis. For more information, please visit the agency’s website at www.ebenezerchildcare.com.
