No Gifts Allowed!

No Gifts Allowed!

One thing that I really don't do is talk about the charity work we do. We have been very fortunate to be able to do and give as much as we can...it's in our hearts and I am married to a man who is very giving, and we both come from very giving and loving families.

The first four years of my son's life, his birthday party invitations said, "No Gifts Allowed!" and of course, he'd still get gifts, but what I would do is count how many people came to celebrate his birthday and multiply that number by $5 and send that total into a charity.

Last year, I broke my rule and allowed children to bring gift, after all, he was the Big 5 and I thought it would be ok. I thought wrong. I still did the $5 per person and sent in money to the charity "Nothing But Nets". But I felt very weird about accepting gifts when I knew darned good and well that there are children who never get to celebrate a birthday. Trust me, my children long for nothing!

A few days ago, I asked Jackson why he was crying and he sat up straight and his voice got deep and he said, "I cry because I am used to getting everything I want, and when I don't get what I want, it makes me very sad".

Needless to say, this rather digusted me, and it's my fault. Realize this, though, Jackson is a sweetie pie and he never asks for anything. He will see an ad on tv and get all excited and say that when he turns 18 or older he is going to get Moonsand! So sweet. Anyway...

SO! This year, I already know that we are going to have a party at the movies and watch "Toy Story 3" and that's fabulous and fun with great friends and neighbors, right?! Last year, we had a magician and it was so fun! Tonight as we were talking about his birthday and the past and the plans, I told Jackson that we were going back to our orignal "No Gifts Allowed" and I explained the devistation in Haiti and I asked him if he was ok with that, and if he understood, and he said he'd rather give to charity than get gifts.

Then HE came up with an idea. He suggested that on the invitations, I write that each Friend should not bring a gift, but that they should bring $5 to give to the children of Haiti and give his friends the feeling of doing something good.

My heart swelled with pride.

I hope that my children grow up to be charitable and giving, and I hope that they know that no matter how little we have, we will always have more than someone else.

I encourage you to follow suit with Jackson's idea and help the many victims of Haiti. We can't forget them, after the songs, the celebrities, and the story fades away, we need to remember them and not forget the children, the mothers, the fathers, the uncles and aunts, grandparents, cousins, the People of Haiti and do as much as we possibly can, because no matter what we don't have, we will always have more.

God Bless and let's not forget them.

Yours truly,
Sabain