This year I can truly say our family embraced the gift of giving. As many people know Scarlett became a wish kid last year and was given the biggest gift of all... To have her one wish come true. . . to meet the princesses!! Ever since we returned from our trip to Disney World. . . I've made it my personal goal, to start giving back more and to instill that into my children.
We have been dropping off letters for Macy's Believe campaign for a few years. But this year we put a lot more effort into it and decided to get the schools involved. I work at a preschool where I was able to collect 30 letters to Santa, and I volunteered in Scarlett's class one day and taught them about Make-A-Wish and Macy's Believe Campaign, where we collected 22 more letters. Through out December Scarlett encouraged anyone she could, to write a letter to Santa, and on the day we turned them into Macy's . . . she had over 75 letters. I'm hoping next year we can get even more of Scarlett's school involved.
Every year my children are flooded with gifts from aunts, uncles, and grandparents during the holidays. Being fearful that this hurricane of presents will come back to bite us in the butt. . I decided this year was a good year to also teach Scarlett the importance of gift giving vs. receiving.
We sat down and talked about how other families might not be getting as much toys as her, because they can't afford it or don't have as many relatives to receive gifts from. And then I suggested she pick an unopened gift she had received from her birthday to donate to a child in need.
She abruptly ran off to her room (and her brother's) and soon came out with a pile of gifts that she was ready to give away. On Christmas Eve we walked into the police department and filled the box to the rim. . . The look on Scarlett's face, said it all. She was so proud of herself.
I also tried this year to make "Santa's" presents less about quantity and more about being something really special. Each kid just got a few gifts on Christmas morning, ones they really, really wanted. I've always worried about once all the kids return from school and they start sharing stories, some kids can't help but feel bad that their Santa didn't give them as much toys as maybe another child's santa.
Needless to say Scarlett absolutely embraced everything about giving back this holiday season and I couldn't be more ecstatic. She truly is growing up into an amazing little girl, with such a big heart. . . One day after I picked her up from school she asked if we could "take something special to the kids that were at the hospital in the oncology/hematology department that she goes to". She has been working hard on pictures and we plan on visiting soon so she can pass them out.
So with that said . . . I ask that you all look deep into your heart and find a way that you can give back this year. The smallest act of kindness counts and it can go along way. . .
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| Scarlett turning her letters into Macys |
We have been dropping off letters for Macy's Believe campaign for a few years. But this year we put a lot more effort into it and decided to get the schools involved. I work at a preschool where I was able to collect 30 letters to Santa, and I volunteered in Scarlett's class one day and taught them about Make-A-Wish and Macy's Believe Campaign, where we collected 22 more letters. Through out December Scarlett encouraged anyone she could, to write a letter to Santa, and on the day we turned them into Macy's . . . she had over 75 letters. I'm hoping next year we can get even more of Scarlett's school involved.
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| Scarlett getting letters at Parents Night Out! |
Every year my children are flooded with gifts from aunts, uncles, and grandparents during the holidays. Being fearful that this hurricane of presents will come back to bite us in the butt. . I decided this year was a good year to also teach Scarlett the importance of gift giving vs. receiving.
We sat down and talked about how other families might not be getting as much toys as her, because they can't afford it or don't have as many relatives to receive gifts from. And then I suggested she pick an unopened gift she had received from her birthday to donate to a child in need.
 |
| Scarlett's pile of gifts |
She abruptly ran off to her room (and her brother's) and soon came out with a pile of gifts that she was ready to give away. On Christmas Eve we walked into the police department and filled the box to the rim. . . The look on Scarlett's face, said it all. She was so proud of herself.
I also tried this year to make "Santa's" presents less about quantity and more about being something really special. Each kid just got a few gifts on Christmas morning, ones they really, really wanted. I've always worried about once all the kids return from school and they start sharing stories, some kids can't help but feel bad that their Santa didn't give them as much toys as maybe another child's santa.
Needless to say Scarlett absolutely embraced everything about giving back this holiday season and I couldn't be more ecstatic. She truly is growing up into an amazing little girl, with such a big heart. . . One day after I picked her up from school she asked if we could "take something special to the kids that were at the hospital in the oncology/hematology department that she goes to". She has been working hard on pictures and we plan on visiting soon so she can pass them out.
So with that said . . . I ask that you all look deep into your heart and find a way that you can give back this year. The smallest act of kindness counts and it can go along way. . .
Written by,
Kari Peepe
©KariPeepe/atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com
For more of our story go to . . http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com
For more on our Make-A-Wish trip and lasting impression please check out:
- Make-A-Wish Part 1-Make-A-Wish is going to grant Scarlett 1 wish: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/01/scarlett-makes-wish-part-1.html
- Make-A-Wish Part 2-It's Official: WE are going to Florida: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/02/scarlett-makes-wish-part-2.html
- Make-A-Wish Part 3-Wish Reveal Party:http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/03/scarletts-make-wish-reveal-party.html
- Make-A-Wish Part 4- Dear MakeA-Wish and GKTW: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-most-amazing-thing-i-could-never.html
- Make-A-Wish Part 5-Give Kids the World, GO to your happy place: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/04/go-to-your-happy-place-give-kids-world.html
- Make-A-Wish Part 6- A lasting Impression: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/06/a-lasting-impression.html
- Scarlett's story on Make-A-Wish, SF Bay Area: http://sf.wish.org/wishes/wish-stories/copy-of-i-wish-to-go/scarlett-disney-world
- Here's the piece I wrote for Give Kids the World: http://www.gktw.org/blog/our-happy-place/
For more on our Make-A-Wish trip and lasting impression please check out:
- Make-A-Wish Part 1-Make-A-Wish is going to grant Scarlett 1 wish: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/01/scarlett-makes-wish-part-1.html
- Make-A-Wish Part 2-It's Official: WE are going to Florida: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/02/scarlett-makes-wish-part-2.html
- Make-A-Wish Part 3-Wish Reveal Party:http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/03/scarletts-make-wish-reveal-party.html
- Make-A-Wish Part 4- Dear MakeA-Wish and GKTW: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-most-amazing-thing-i-could-never.html
- Make-A-Wish Part 5-Give Kids the World, GO to your happy place: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/04/go-to-your-happy-place-give-kids-world.html
- Make-A-Wish Part 6- A lasting Impression: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/06/a-lasting-impression.html
- Scarlett's story on Make-A-Wish, SF Bay Area: http://sf.wish.org/wishes/wish-stories/copy-of-i-wish-to-go/scarlett-disney-world
- Here's the piece I wrote for Give Kids the World: http://www.gktw.org/blog/our-happy-place/
For more stories on raising children, when one of them has a bleeding disorder please check out:
- Raising Siblings, when one of them has a special disorder: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2013/11/raising-siblings-when-one-of-them-has.html
- A Mother's Guilt: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-mother-guilt.html
- It Takes a Village: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2013/12/it-takes-village.html
- My little prince, (the non bleeder): http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-little-prince.html
- Family Fun Days-keeping the kids entertained safely: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/02/family-fun-days.html
- My son bites Scarlett: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/02/no-no-bite.html
- Another Day of Being Riddled w/Guilt: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/04/another-day-of-being-riddled-with-guilt.html
- The What if's: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-what-ifs-of-life-with-bleeding.html
- A local flood, fills us with fear: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/12/flooded-with-fear.html
- Call me paranoid, but this is the parent I've become: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/12/call-me-paranoid-but.html
- Scarlett learns to advocate: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2015/10/proudest-momma-on-blockmy-little.html
- Becoming her own protector: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2015/10/infusing-loveher-own-protector.html
For more stories on raising children, when one of them has a bleeding disorder please check out:
- Raising Siblings, when one of them has a special disorder: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2013/11/raising-siblings-when-one-of-them-has.html
- A Mother's Guilt: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-mother-guilt.html
- It Takes a Village: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2013/12/it-takes-village.html
- My little prince, (the non bleeder): http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-little-prince.html
- Family Fun Days-keeping the kids entertained safely: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/02/family-fun-days.html
- My son bites Scarlett: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/02/no-no-bite.html
- Another Day of Being Riddled w/Guilt: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/04/another-day-of-being-riddled-with-guilt.html
- The What if's: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-what-ifs-of-life-with-bleeding.html
- A local flood, fills us with fear: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/12/flooded-with-fear.html
- Call me paranoid, but this is the parent I've become: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/12/call-me-paranoid-but.html
- Scarlett learns to advocate: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2015/10/proudest-momma-on-blockmy-little.html
- Becoming her own protector: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2015/10/infusing-loveher-own-protector.html
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