What gift .....

[Italiangreyhound]

The Magi were wise and brought gifts.......

What gift would you give your child?

You could give more than one, just wondering what is important and how this might especially relate to adoption.

[TheTragicClam]

An interesting question - we are pre-intros at the moment, but had a surprise meeting with LO sprung on us before christmas. So we were wondering whether we should give her an xmas present or not. Particularly given that she regularly received masses of pressies from her birth family at contact sessions. We wanted to be different from that - and not just more adults rolling up with toys.

In the end we got her a little teddy and a christmas decoration that we can get out every year and talk about the first christmas when she was living with her foster family and we were thinking of her (a lot!!).

I feel like the present she really needs would be time together in her fover family and what I really want to give her is my undivided attention - and cuddles.

A little cheesy - but I'm feeling all emotional!

[TheTragicClam]

hmm, meant to say *forever not fover, obv

[Italiangreyhound]

Oh Clam (if I may call you that) that is lovely.

I feel a lot of kids would benefit from the chance to be themselves and be loved and accepted for who they are. When I quit being so bossy and worked in a more child-friendly way to get my very active and emotional little one to not be so difficult/naughty, it worked amazingly well and now she is very well behaved most of the time!

As far as a physical gift goes I often give books, as I feel they are such a treasure that can be enjoyed again and again. My DD (aged 8) got some 'alien babies' in egg shaped pots of goo (!!!) in her stocking, and these have proved to be played with the most over Christmas - so maybe it is not so much what you give, but who you give to that counts.

Keep me/us posted on things if you feel able, I am at the prep group stage and very interested in people further down the line. Christmas blessings.

[Moomoomie]

I would give my youngest two girls a new brain each, one which was undamaged by alcohol and drugs, but kept the wonderful personality they have.
But as that is impossible, I would give all three of them my unconditional love forever.( actually they have that already.)

[tassisssss]

Maybe something for their rooms? Bunting with their name on if that's your/their kind of thing? Something that suggests permanence...

[Italiangreyhound]

Beautiful ideas, sometimes dreaming is nice, even if a bit sad, Moomoonie.

Tassissss When I was younger I went to Romania and painted in an orphanage. We painted murals because that way the staff could not take what we had brought!

[MaryChristmaZEverybody]

I would give ds1 the gift of contentment - he is never content. He does have moments of happiness, and long sessions of absolute misery , but he hasn't learned to be quietly content.

I would give dd self-confidence. She is so lacking in confidence it is untrue, and that in turn makes her needy and attention-seeking, which isn't good for a teenage girl (especially when it comes to relationships with boys).

I would give ds2 calm and quiet. Something he seems to have missed out on .

Physical gifts that you can buy in a shop are soooooo much easier.

[Italiangreyhound]

Thanks Mary, I think those gifts sound so wonderful and I am sure you work towards them in your loving way daily (if you are who I think you are!).