Bucket List: Give Back

I’d like to think that generosity is not something I – or my family – inherently struggle with, still, I have been on a mission to exercise this with more regularity and consistency. This year, we added it to the Bucket List with the intention of sharing what we have with other who don’t have as much. I wasn’t sure how it was going to pan out over the year, but I am so pleased with how it has.

In addition to making donation of gently worn clothes and un-played-with toys, the kids each made their own Santa Shoebox. This is something that I, along with other mom friends, have done before, on behalf of the kids, but this year, for the first time, they did it themselves. I thought committing to three boxes, each for a child the gender and age of one of my own kids, was going to be a challenge, however, I was pleasantly surprised by my kids’ enthusiasm and initiative in taking this on. All it took was two trips to the shops, and they loved it! Each one got to pick out an outfit, pair of slipslops, set of toiletries, reading book, game and treat that they would choose for themselves. Then they each made a card for their recipient, wrapped it all up in a shoebox, and handed it over to the group leader we were working through.

I don’t mention these things to pat myself on the back as though this kind of thing is something to show for my and Andel’s great parenting. We’re terrible a lot of the time. But that’s what so good about these encounters: just when you think that you’re doing everything wrong, and your kids are brats, and you don’t know how they’re going to become decent, function citizens, they wow you with how kind and thoughtful they actually are. Zac, Sam and Bayley were so proud of their boxes (including all the work that went into making additional full sets of Springbok cards), and equally thrilled when we were sent the photos of the kids receiving their boxes just before Christmas. 

The kids have already asked to do this again next Christmas, so even though it’s not on the official Bucket List for next year, you can be sure that we’ll be keeping on this tradition. And if you are led to want to join with us, check in with us around the start of November so that you can be a part of it too!