A different kind of Christmas story for Maricopa

Well, the holidays have arrived and it’s time to go broke…or broker…or maybe it’s just time to call a broker. If your family is like mine, you’ve felt the economic crunch.

However, this has not stopped my 4-year-old, Alex, from requesting a $50 train that lays its own track. Now imagine that! I am supposed to pay $50 for a train that plays by itself…a $50 toy that will inevitably wind up in a storage compartment under the stairs, in the garage, or in the shelf-organizing canvas boxes I bought to match his room so neatly.

I know parents who dedicate entire rooms to ankle-spraining toys that sneak up on them whenever they use the vacuum. Whatever the case may be, I will not see my son getting $50 worth of play out of that toy. After January, it will become just another piece of the toy collage I call Alex’s room.

I think it is time to make a change in our expectations for Christmas. Not just the children, but mom and dad, too. We need to let go of the guilt we have that we simply cannot afford gifts that exceed our budget every 25th of December.

I am not a bad parent because I refuse to buy a $9 ball that will be thrown across my floor, dent my wall, or pop open to reveal an unnamable creature that comes with a card to explain itself. We need to focus on what’s reasonable for our family’s budget and change our children’s outlook for Christmas morning.

It’s no secret. The economy is not the best right now. My Christmas message to you: whether you have experienced a job loss, a loss of hours, or if you simply do not have the funds, don’t feel bad. Fact is, there are still things you can do as a family.

There is nothing like a handmade gift. Everything from a handprint calendar, to do-it-yourself cookies in a jar or bag. My favorite is a photo decoupage on a 25-cent tile. This is simple stuff, but makes a great gift. Try asking your child to make a gift for each member of the family, then give them a bottle of glue and…um… some guidelines. You may very well start a new tradition that you’ll never want to give up.

If you are currently at the mercy of a hormonal young adult (code name for teen), try volunteering with them at a local charity, such as F.O.R. Maricopa, or ringing a bell for the Salvation Army together. Yes, I said together! I know that some teens would rather do the dishes or scour a public restroom floor than be seen with you in public ringing a bell in front of the local supermarket for spare change. Just offer…you can always go it alone if need be.

Here’s the point: showing compassion towards others makes a big impression. Children of all ages learn from example. What a great role model you can be for your child if during the holidays, and throughout the year, you show your caring spirit, as well as how to be a good steward with your family’s money.

As parents, I feel it is our responsibility to teach our children how to save money, give when it is needed and never feel pressured to spend because everyone else is. It’s a different kind of Christmas, but one that keeps the gifts of the holidays coming all year long.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

(Erin Wheeler is a married mother of two boys, three if you count her husband, living in the Glenwilde subdivision. She holds an associate degree in early childhood development and hopes to one day teach preschool.)

Submitted photo