Dear Holly: You Want Everything for “My Christmas”

2 years, 5 months.

Dear Holly,

Last weekend while we stayed at Nonna and Papa’s house, I noticed you debuted a new catchphrase: “I want it for my Christmas.”

After you saw a coloring book that had a picture of Daisy Duck on it, then you immediately announced, “I, I want Daisy for my Christmas.”

When you played with the Cozy Coupe, it was, “I, I want this car for my Christmas.”

And even with each newly discovered vintage stuffed animal you found at their house, “I, I want this one for my Christmas… for my Christmas.”

Your brother tried to explain to you, “Holly, you don’t have to wait for Christmas. Nonna will just give you that old thing right now. Go ask her and she will say yes.”

But right now, you want everything for your Christmas.

 

Love,

Daddy

Toys for Nine-Year-Olds: Buying Tips When Searching for the Perfect Gift

Gifts for nine-years-olds are more than just objects to them because they’re slowly evolving into mature young individuals. While they can still be interested in toys, children at this age begin to explore different interests. It would be great if they could master some skills using their toys. Thus, you should take gift shopping for them seriously.

If you wanna save money while shopping for a gift, one can shop via Givingassistant.org.
If you’ve been trying to think about the perfect gift for a nine-year-old child, here are the buying tips you should consider.
  1. Development – Nine-year-old children have a natural curiosity about the things that are happening around them. As they begin to age, their attitude, emotions, and even hobbies also change. Therefore, when buying gifts for them, think about their interests. Kids at this age also become more interested in the arts, sports, sciences, and other areas of learning. So, you better consider their stages of development when searching for the best gift for them.

 

  1. Usefulness – When you give a gift to a nine-year-old child, be sure this is something that he can use over and over again. The gift shouldn’t be good for one-time use only. Instead, select a gift with a real purpose. If your goal is to spark their imagination, buy something that they can learn how to build while they’re playing. Also, avoid giving gifts that will only be placed in the corner, such as decors.

 

  1. Profile – Gifts for children aren’t tough to find. However, the problem comes in if you buy a gift for someone you don’t know. For instance, if you want to buy a birthday present for your nine-year-old godchild, you should make the real effort to get to know him/her better. By doing your research, you may discover something special about the child that will help you in your buying decisions.

 

  1. Good Quality – Aside from being useful, your gift should also be of good quality. Nine-year-old children value their toys seriously because, for them, it’s more than just an object that they can play with. If your gift is something that is used often, it should last for a long time. Take note, a child who receives a gift with nice quality will appreciate the effort and thought you put into buying it.

 

  1. Element of Surprise – Nothing is more exciting than receiving a surprise gift. Children at the age of nine appreciate gifts that offer an element of surprise. It means you put a lot of thought into buying a gift that will make them happy. Also, surprises create good memories that children may never forget.

 

  1. Experience – Children, because they’re young, love experiencing new things. It’s best to buy a gift that gives experience. Search for unique gift ideas for children. Create a list of all the things that kid is interested in and come up with the gift ideas that are aligned with their interests. For example, if your child loves music and acting, then you can buy him/her a ticket to a musical. A trip to a museum for your history-loving kid or a temporary hair color for your little fashionista are some examples.

 

  1. Creativity – Kids are imaginative. They can get the most out of your gift when you give them a toy that encourages their creativity. Craft materials, journals and notebooks, construction toys, and nonfiction books for learning are excellent options.

Final Thoughts

Consider these buying tips when searching for the best toys for nine-year-olds. With the kind of energy and imagination they have, you should find something creative, exciting, and useful. Since they are at a crucial stage of development, the kind of toy gifts you give can mold them as better individuals. Give them gifts that they can cherish all throughout their childhood.

 

 

Dear Jack: You’ll Be Turning 8 Years Old Next Month!

7 years, 10 months.

Now that it’s October, it occurred to me: You’ll be turning 8 next month!

Just like for your 5th birthday, you have chosen a family road trip to Destin, Florida; instead of a birthday party.

Considering that we’ll be staying for free using hotel points and that Chevy will be sending us a Suburban filled with a full tank of gas, we’ll actually be able to have a pretty amazing road trip cheaper than it would cost to throw you a birthday party around here in Nashville.

I think you’re making a very smart decision. Why have a party when you can have a road trip with the fam?

 

Dear Jack,

Love,

Daddy

Dear Holly: Instead of Going to Bed, Would You Rather Just Watch Dancing with the Stars?

2 years, 5 months.

Dear Holly,

For the slight majority of the time when I put you to bed, you fall asleep shortly afterwards and that’s the end of it.

But for the other times, you find a way to delay the process:

“Elsa Band-Aid?”

“Water?”

“Hug Jack?”

This past week though, we tried a new one out on me and Mommy both.

Twenty minutes after I had put you to bed and assumed you were asleep, you started softly knocking on your bedroom door.

Mommy curiously opened it.

With a confident smile, you cheerfully announced, “Mommy, it’s time to watch!”

You just wanted to see the rest of Dancing with the Stars. Your plan worked… sort of.

We let you watch about 10 minutes before sending you back to bed.

Love,

Daddy

Dear Holly: The Tent Hideout on the Edge of the Couch

2 years, 5 months.

Dear Holly,

Sunday afternoon as Mommy was taking care of laundry upstairs and I was cleaning the bathrooms downstairs, I noticed things seemed suspiciously quiet. It took me a minute to even figure out where you and your brother were.

It definitely wasn’t obvious to me that the play tent on the edge of the couch, which stood perfectly still, was actually serving as the secret hideout for you and your brother.

Apparently at some point along the way, your brother was able to convince you to sneak into the tent, which he placed on top of the sofa.

I admit, I took my time in coming over to check it out, as the two of you were committed to seeing how long it would take for Mommy or me to stop by.

But hey, I didn’t want to disturb the peace. The two of you were enjoying your quiet place.

And so was I.

 

Love,

Daddy