Giving Tree

Every year, I sponsor a family from our school as part of the "giving tree". Our school is the only "Title One" school in our home town and has the largest percentage of kids in the city on the school lunch program. (Title One means that our school receives additional federal money due to a high percentage of students who are from low income households.)

When I pick a family, I try to find a family that has girls about the same age as my girls so they can participate in the giving experience. So, today the three of us hit the stores today to do the shopping for our kids. This year we had 3 girls, aged 3, 8 and 9 to buy for. The older girls asked for bikes, but when the girls and I discussed the option of only buying bikes and nothing else or getting several smaller gifts, they agreed we should do something smaller.

Of all the years we've done this, La Nina finally got it this year. Sure, she shopped mostly for herself, but she wrapped the gifts and asked lots of questions about what it meant to be "poor". She actually understood why we can't know the names of the kids we're helping and why we don't sign our names on their cards. Her only struggle was why Santa didn't just give those kids more gifts, but she accepted that Santa likes to be fair.

The Magster was very involved this year too. She asked lots of questions and was very worried about the kids not having enough food. (Given that she doesn't eat, I found this interesting.) Her biggest struggle was not signing the cards. I tried to explain we do this not to get credit or thank you's, but just to share the Christmas spirit and some of our gratitude for all that is good in our lives with others less fortunate. She wasn't buying my explanations. Finally, in frustration, La Nina shouted, "Maggie, they aren't going to give us anything back." The Magster's face fell. Sometimes giving is hard to understand when you're only 6.

Last year, La Nina didn't get understand this whole process, so I know the Magster is about a year away from understanding all of this. I only hope that doing these little projects will help my kids grow into caring, giving adults who are grateful for the goodness in their lives...no matter what the circumstances.