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Our bodies instinctively know this and send signals when it is time to stop. Those first few bites of food taste and feel so good. However, there comes a point where that feeling of satisfaction starts to wane.
Andrew Herrig is a finance expert and money nerd and the founder of Wealthy Nickel, where he writes about personal finance, side hustles, and entrepreneurship. As an avid real estate investor and owner of multiple businesses, he has a passion for helping others build wealth and shares his own family’s journey on his blog. That was the question I asked myself a couple years in to our parenting journey. We now have a 4 and a 2 year old who have toys spilling out of every available space in our home.
Something For The Family
You’re on the path that will help many ——– The “4 gift” rule is perfect for us. We have 2 grandkids and a 3rd coming in early March ——so, I appreciate the simplicity here, Andrew. We still want to have presents under the tree and watch as the kids race down the stairs in the morning to open a few gifts, but the difference is there are only a handful there these days.
Kelly at Happy You, Happy Families has a great post about implementing the 4-gift rule for Christmas. It includes sections on getting your kids on board and how to approach well meaning relatives who like the bombard your family with gifts. If you need a little help figuring out what to get for your kids that falls within the 4 gift rule challenge, below are some ideas for different age ranges. For older kids, the 4 gift rule can help teach them an appreciation for gifts and the meaning behind the giving.
The 4-Gift Rule for Teenagers
Another factor that would come in to play is the cost of things. If a child really wants a toy that costs £25 is it fair for a sibling to want a games console of £400? As little ones have no concept of money, personally we would feel awkward with such a difference between them which may in later years be seen as having a favourite. I've got three teenage kids and we actually did the four gift rule last year. We explained beforehand and it meant we really thought carefully about each gift. I will have to think back to when my kids where younger and add some ideas for babies and toddlers.
When my kids are young, quantity seems to trump quality. So, we wrap many small gifts because their joy is simply in opening stuff. We even let them open our gifts because it seemed to be the best part of the day for them.
Christmas Day Traditions You Family Will Look Forward To Every Year!
Some enthused about a video game, or craft kits or the stretchy alien toy that glowed in the dark. A recent study showed that an abundance of toys reduced the quality of children’s play. We also have a “one in – one out” policy for toys. Our house is on the smaller side, and keeping the house organized is difficult after the holidays. My wife’s parents started a 529 for each of of their grandkids . Great “tool” to use to help with Christmas ——this season is almost here, and my wife and I have talked about this problem at length.
Ultimately, sticking to seven gifts ensures that kids still get excited on Christmas morning without unnecessary stress or pressure. It also helps to avoid overspending, which can be common during Christmas time. Jayme is a single mom of two little girls in Southern California. Because being a single, work-from-home mom isn't stressful enough, she also has two dogs (but only one of them is crazy!). She speaks her mind, cusses too much, and always sticks up for what she believes in.
Not only do these kinds of toys provide hours of play, but they are good for our kids. My job at the public library brought me into contact with hundreds of children. Every year I asked them to tell me about their favorite Christmas gift. I was always interested to know, because I like to track the gifts that delight kids. That Christmas our kids instinctively knew that too many toys was not a good thing. Their brains were trying to put a halt to what was happening, but like most children they dutifully unwrapped every gift.
Now 4 gifts may seem stingy, particularly if you are used to mounds of gifts. This means that 4 gifts are guaranteed to let your child experience the excitement without the overwhelm. The excitement died down and suddenly unwrapping gifts became almost mechanical. The boys still ripped off the paper and dutifully said thank you, but there was no joy in it. All five boys had gone into serious overwhelm and their excitement had fizzled out.
The list encourages the kids to think really hard about what might be on the list for each category. It also allows me to ensure they get a range of gifts. Here are some of the Christmas gift ideas for children that have made it onto my spreadsheet this year. This is sort of their open category, where they can add a special gift request. So maybe a toy or video game they've had their eye on, or a new gadget or tech item.
You see, when you buy in excess, you create an expectation for yourself and for others. Almost always these high expectations lead to unnecessary stress for you and your finances.
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