There are few days left for Christmas and many children have already made their letters to Santa Claus and the Magi. Many parents already have everything planned and will have spent an average of 735 euros on gifts.
One more year and as a touch of attention for parents, I want to comment that the best toy is not the most expensive, nor the most modern, nor that a child puts the first on the list.
The best toy is dad. The best toy is mom.
Iker's story
Run an unknown author's story online that I will summarize in a few lines:
As every afternoon Iker received his father when he arrived from work. The father took him in his arms, kissed him and put him back on the floor.
- How much do you get paid on time, dad? - Iker asked his father.
- That? Umm, well, they pay me about 20 euros an hour.
- Dad, could you give me 10 euros?
- That? Is that what you asked me for? No son, I can't give you 10 euros. Besides, have you already done your homework? Soon you will have to go to sleep ...
Iker left his father alone, like every afternoon, since after a hard day's work he needed to rest a little.
After some unsuccessful attempt to make his father spend some time with him Iker had dinner and went to sleep.
His father was somewhat thoughtful and remorseful for not having asked his son what the 10 euros were for. "Maybe they were for something important and I haven't heard him."
He entered Iker's room and asked: - Son, are you sleeping? - No dad, not yet. - Look, take, here you have the ten euros you asked me - he said giving him a ticket. Iker smiled, his face lit up and he threw himself into his father's arms to give him a huge hug that his father didn't understand. - But what are they for? - he asked. The boy reached in and took a 10-euro bill from under the pillow. - Look dad, these ten euros the grandmother gave me the other day. Now, with the ten you have given me, I have twenty euros so that tomorrow, when you come from work, we spend an hour together.
Children need us
It may sound unreal, it may sound strange, but children need to spend time with us Just like we need to spend time with our loved ones.
As Francesco Tonucci said a few days ago, we have taken the children from the streets because they are no longer safe. This means that they are at home and that all the game they developed outside with their friends, they have to do it inside, usually alone.
Remembering my childhood days, street games were running, catching, kicking, pedaling, jumping, etc. Nobody brought a sophisticated battery-powered device that would concentrate us on a specific point and make us bend down to see it.
But now, as children play at home, they often find themselves without company with their toy armies.
Make a mental representation of your child's toys and his room and ask yourself With how many of those toys have you spent time sharing with them.
It is sad, but many people will realize, after doing this exercise, that we have spent too little time playing with our children and that most of what we buy them serves to keep them entertained while we do other things.
Summary
That said, the best gift, the best toy and What makes our children more happy is that we spend time with them. On Christmas day, you put on a little bow and say to your son: “Here I am, I am your gift. Let's play! ”(You can do it metaphorically, without bow, of course).
Photos | Flickr (valentinapower), Flickr (wjarrettc) On Babies and more | The best Christmas gift, quality time or quantity of time ?, How to avoid avalanche of gifts at Christmas, Pediatricians recommend giving no more than 3 toys
