Caring Kids

I don't get any magazine subscriptions...it'd be fun to get People Magazine and catch up on all the latest gossip...but why buy the subscription when you can read it in line at the grocery store or when you go to the dentist?

My mom bought me a subscription, however, to Readers Digest and I LOVE it....as soon as it comes in, it gets placed in its honorable spot on the shelf above the toilet paper rolls. Every morning (I'm a regular kind of gal...TMI I know...) I read that magazine until I've read it cover to cover. (Generally I start with the jokes and then move on to the meatier stuff).

The new one came in the mail last week and on the cover is a picture of two cute brothers and the title "How to raise kids who care". Basically the article was saying that if you volunteer (their big point was "lead by example") or give your children a chance to get involved in the lives of others without self gain...they will do so when they are older as well.

Interesting...I started to think about this, as every year I LOVE doing the angel tree...I get to pick a kid and actually buy cute kid clothes and fun kid toys...things I want to do for my own kids so badly! When I was growing up, my parents would let us pick a kid off the angel tree and choose gifts for that child.

This year I was thinking about all the sucky things going on in my life and decided to see if there was a soup kitchen that was serving thanksgiving dinner...that way I could kindof get outside of myself...and help others. My parents also took me to soup kitchens when I was younger. We even walked the streets of Japan and handed out rice patties to the homeless (I'm a Navy brat)...and so I guess according to the article they instilled that drive in me to help others.

My husband on the other hand...does not enjoy doing the angel tree. He is constantly complaining that I'm spending too much money on a kid we don't even know. (Usually I shop when he's not there and then wrap up the gifts real quick so he doesn't see ALL I bought...I show him a couple things though....is that evil of me???) He tells me that we "don't have any money" so we shouldn't be doing this....as he takes out the Outback Steakhouse leftovers from the fridge.

This year I even went as far as to say that I wanted him to get me NOTHING for Christmas so that I could use the money on my angel tree kid and then he couldn't get upset with me. He didn't like that idea and after talking with him about this article he is being more open this year which is awesome!! (plus I think the fact that we could possibly be parents this year is making him more of a softie....love it!!)

He also has NO desire to walk into a soup kitchen and is somewhat freaked out by the idea. After reading the article I asked him if he did any of these volunteer-like things when he was younger (nothing against my in-laws...they raise a WONDERFUL man!!) and he said he never had. I talked with him about the article and he agreed that may have something to do with it.

The article talked about kids playing with special needs kids and making a difference even at the age of five! So I hope to give my children a chance to see that there is a great big world out there...with lots of people who may not have all the blessings that we do. We need to realize that we have been blessed so that we can SHARE those blessings with other people!