Children have a way of reinvigorating Christmas for even the most jaded and cynical adults. Sometimes in our attempts to maximize and preserve that magic, parents overextend themselves, and end up stressed out and overwhelmed.
This shows up most often in the desire to give your children the most lavish, most expensive gifts. The pressure to choose correctly and make sure you have the money to pull it all off can be stressful.
If you’re a parent feeling like this, you need to check out this reminder from one TikTok mom. Her video went viral last year, but with Christmas so near and so many of us stressing and scrambling to figure out gifts before we run out of time, it's been making the rounds once again. So take a deep breath and remember …
Laurie let her daughter Lilly choose between traditional toys and household objects.
In a video with Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas” playing in the background, Laurie, who goes by @killinitsince86 on TikTok, showed her daughter Lilly in a highchair. On Lilly’s tray, Laurie presents her with objects to play with. One is a traditional toy and another is a random household object. She gives her daughter a hairbrush and a plastic rattle.
Each time, Lilly chose the household object.
Lilly chose the brush. But it wasn’t just a fluke. She then offered her the remote and a plush unicorn toy. Lilly excitedly chose the remote. When the rattle went up against the wipes, Lilly chose the wipes. Finally, there was a diaper versus a colorful, spinning object. The diaper won out, going straight into Lilly’s mouth.
The message is clear: Your little one can find enjoyment in the small things.
On the screen, Laurie wrote, “Just a gentle reminder with the holidays coming up.” Surely this is a sentiment we’ve heard or witnessed before. Children have been known to have more fun playing with a cardboard box than with the toy inside of it. That’s not exaggeration. Children, especially very young ones, are easy to please.
Babies don't need the most expensive new, trendy toy out there. They just need something to stimulate their senses and lots of love.
Enjoy the moments when gifts aren't as important to children.
Many of them don’t even know that they’re celebrating anything special. So you can take it easy. Enjoy the additional time with your family and young children, and save all that stress for the elementary school-age and preteen years when kids have specific demands — especially at Christmas.
