Let Them: A Saturday Series

This first Saturday series is called "Let Them". There are so many things we just big, fat don't let our kids do. I'm meeting some of those things head-on and seeing what happens.

Let Them Give It Away

"I want to give this toy away."
cringe
I can think of a handful of reasons we should keep said toy. It was a special birthday present. It's still a popular toy in the house. You haven't had it that long.

Most of the time I let it go in the giveaway bag. None of the time have they regretted their choice. Here's the deal: I would rather train them in generosity than in hoarding treasures "where moth and rust destroy." If that means they give away something I'd prefer they keep, so be it. I'm more concerned with their character than the contents of their toy bin.

Just to make this blog post a little longer, I'll toss my "rules" below:
1. I oversee the process. When they were younger, I gathered the toys I preferred to never lay eyes on again and invite them to choose 2-3 to donate.* As the kiddos mature, I loosen the leash. Now, Miss CEO almost has free rein in the donating arena.
2. If a strong majority are in favor of donating a specific toy, I will set it aside and see if the holdout notices the missing toy. If a couple weeks go by with no questions asked, in the bag it goes.
3. If only one child is in favor of donating a specific toy, it stays.
4. You may not donate your sister's toys.
5. There are about a dozen Non-Negotiables. These are family heirlooms, and they are free to donate them when I'm dead.

Chances are, six months from now, none of you will remember what you donated. So give it a go; Fill a bag with your kids and trot over to Goodwill.** If you miss your junk that much, go visit it on the weekends.

These are a permanent fixture in our home.

Filling A Bag,
Cynthia

*When it starts looking like the toy counter at Chuck E Cheese, something's gotta give. Can I get an "Amen"?
**Contribute to the bag and you'll be doing that whole "lead by example" thing. Sometimes it smarts, but in the end you're more blessed than before.