So first let me say Holy Cow...has it really been over a month since I wrote anything? Truth be told, it's not cause I can't come up with ideas (I tend to have great ideas at 11:00 pm when I can't sleep) - it's really just because summer snuck up on us and I've been enjoying the down time with family. 8 sleeps until we leave on vacation, and I can't wait!
I've been meaning to write this post for over a week, and have finally gotten to it. As most parents do, I try to impart the importance of giving back to my kids. I truly believe that we have to teach the value of charity and being charitable to our children - and that this lesson is just as important as anything else they will learn. I want them to appreciate how fortunate we are, and understand the concept of paying it forward and random acts of kindness. And there have been moments when I see that they understand, and another one popped up this week.
At Easter, Marianna got a kit to make potholders. She pulled it out this week and started creating these beautiful, colourful weaved potholders. She is a bit of a perfectionist (no idea where she gets that LOL) so they turned out really pretty. She made one for all the women in our family, and had some left over. So I quipped up and said "Maybe you should sell them". I fully expected her to come back with a response that centred around her using the money for our vacation, or for getting stuff for back to school. Instead, her answer was "Great idea Mom - and I can give the money to CHEO".
I don't know why I was surprised - I know my kids have big hearts and like to help out - but it still stopped me in my tracks. It really warmed my heart that the instinct was to donate the proceeds.
Well it became her mission - and Ally joined in. Ally decided she would make friendship bracelets, and they would combine their proceeds to be able to make an even bigger donation. We talked about how we would get the word out (being from the technology generation they wanted to set up a website - a little too sophisticated for me!!). I told them when they were ready, I would put it out to all our friends and family, post it on Facebook, whatever we could do to get people on board.
She is still in the process of making them, and when we get back from holidays the plan is to put the wheels in motion to start selling them (27 hours in a car will give her lots of creative time!!). When they are done, I'll post pictures for sure.
I truly am excited for the day when we can walk into CHEO and they hand over the donation. It won't be the biggest amount, but it will have been their idea and of their own making. And they will have one proud mama there with her camera to capture it all.
