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3 Steps to Joy This Christmas

It’s a mother’s nightmare during the holidays: your child opens a gift from sweet Aunt Margie and says, while making a very disgusted face, “I don’t like this.”  Great.  Now your child looks like a spoiled brat and you look like a bad mom.

To prevent this charming scene, remember that children are not used to hiding their feelings or censoring they’re thoughts. So use iMOM’s 3 step’s to joy to coach your child into having a thankful attitude, even when they don’t like what they get.

1. J is for, Just Smile

Your child doesn’t have to jump for joy, but they do need to at least look like they’re not miserable or about to cry.

Okay Grayson, when you open a present you don’t like, do you remember what you’ll do?  Remember JOY, okay.

First, J —  just smile.  Even if you’re disappointed and don’t like the gift at all. 

2. O is for, Offer Thanks

After you make a very nice smile, it’s time to offer thanks.  Just say, “Mimi, thank you for the sweater.”  If you want to say more you can.  But if smiling and saying thank you is all you can do, that’s great.  Of course, you know Mimi loves hugs, so you can do that too.

3. Y is for, Your gift came with love

Grayson, even when we don’t like the gift we get, isn’t it nice to know that someone was thinking about us, and loved us enough to give us a present at all?  There’s an old saying that it’s the thought that counts.  That means that someone may really want to make you happy, in their heart, but maybe what they do doesn’t show it.

On your way to a gift-opening stop, go over JOY with your kids to prepare them to be gracious.

ASK YOUR CHILD...

What would you do if you got a gift you didn’t like?

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