7 Rules for Giving My Kids Gifts

I know the title sounds all sorts of ungrateful, but let me start by saying my kids are lucky small people.

They have loving parents, a peaceful home, and enough toys to share with the entire neighborhood (not they’d want to, but still). As impressionable as toy manufacturers bank on, my kids beg for what they see advertised, want what their friends have, and think they have it pretty rough.

They don’t. They have more than enough.

It’s for this reason that my kids don’t need gifts for anything. Santa treats them well at Christmas and we gift them generously on their birthdays. Any other gift they receive beyond Santa, mom and dad is well, gravy.

While I can’t very well tell good-intentioned family and friends not to give my children gifts, I can inform them they don’t have to. Financial times are tough and my kids would get just as much (if not more) enjoyment spending time with family and friends than receiving a gift from them.

But again, kind people will always give from their generous hearts. I understand; I do it too.

So to those wonderful people who absolutely insist on giving my kids gifts, I respectfully request that you follow these 7 gift giving rules (hey, I do it for you).