How to Make Kids Thankful for Birthday Gifts

How many times have we seen our kids frantically unwrapping birthday gifts only to like one or two ‘big ‘ ones and shrug at the rest. Even if they claim to like them all, how many times have we seen them asking if they can return the gifts or just play with them a few times and cast them away in some corner.

It does not matter how old your child is, how affluent you are or the quality and quantity of the gifts. Regardless of all these factors, children need to be taught from an early age to be thankful for their gifts and like them for what they are.

Perhaps as parents working two jobs and trying to meet the long wish lists of our children, we are depriving them of the most valuable kids birthday gift which is quality time spent with them. This is a viscous circle because we don’t spend time with the kids, in turn we try to ‘make up’ with fancy gifts and have to work harder and longer to get the latest Sony Playstation3 for over $600 and then end up spending even less time with them trying to pay off those huge credit card bills.

Even though the regular thank you note for kid’s birthday gifts has become routine; make sue that the kids write those notes themselves or at least dictate to you what nice thing they have to say about the toy, sweater, book or video game.

No Return Policy on Your Birthday Gifts

Do not give the option to take the kids birthday gift back to the store. Just by having the option of returning it, they like it less already because they feel they can get something better. If it’s the thought that counts logic seems too old world to them, let them know that this is the stuff they received and this is what someone who loves them took the time to get and wrap for them and this is the birthday gift your kids will have to love.