If you're a parent, this time of year will be driving you crazy. Your children will be tugging at your sleeve with each toy commercial shouting how much they want that, and ooohhhh! my friend Lucy has that, can I have that too...pleeeeeeease mommy? while you loook at the pile of toys scattered all over the floor that were last years ooohhhs! and aaahhhhs!
Stores will be busier than usual, shelves emptier as most people are stocking up their pantry with extra food and drinks and you, no matter how convinced you were that your New years resolution would hold this year, are following the crowd.
So why do we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of this each year? If you look around you when shopping, how many people are actually enjoying themselves walking past seemingly endless stores trying to find that special gift or certain toy that their child or grandchild wants.....
Maybe, with the new becoming awareness we should stop and think about what we are doing and for who? Sure, seeing the look on a childs face as it unwraps the gifts is adorable, but is there really no other way to please a child than to buy them more stuff?
How about instead of buying countless toys that will be shrewn across the floor within days, making more time to spend with your children, making cakes with them, or taking them ice skating, or for a walk around the park or lake when the snow is still fresh and you lay down to make snowangels in the snow.
And how about making an agreement with them that for every new toy they receive, they will give a toy they no longer play with and is in good condition to a childrens' home or non profit organization so other less fortunate children get to play with new toys too.
This way you hit two birds with one stone, you help the child become aware of just how good it feels to give something to another and it creates space in your home for the new toys :)
There is a third advantage, and that is what this weeks video is about. A dear friend of mine sent it to me several days ago and I was very moved by it, not to mention it jolted me back to the reality of what we as humans are doing to our planet.
I for one, together with the children, have cut their christmas wishlist in half and though we are already quite environmentally conscious, since watching the video, pay even more attention to what we do with our stuff.
I trust it will be an eye opener for you too.
Enjoy and (hopefully) learn! (A special thanks to Debra for sending me this)
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