The Gift of You

by Carleton Kendrick Ed.M., LCSW

What children of all ages want most is more of you. More special times. More pure delight. More whimsy. More shared laughter. More memories to store in their hearts. Give yourself to your child, again and again and again... Give redeemable coupons for each of the following gifts:

• We will make banana splits for breakfast. (Or let your child choose the homemade sweet treat of their choice.)
• We will stay up all night -- watching your favorite videos, playing your favorite games, eating junk food and looking at family photo albums. Then we'll watch the sun rise from any spot you choose within one hour of our home.
• I will wake you up to watch a meteor shower, no matter what time of night the shooting stars begin to appear.

• We will play your favorite board or card game at night, either on the beach or in the woods. We'll use a battery-powered lava lamp for light.
• We will find out when a child living in a shelter has her birthday. On that child's birthday, we'll surprise her by bringing her a bouquet of balloons and a toy, and singing "Happy Birthday" to her.

• We will catch fireflies on a warm summer's night and then set them free.
• We will dance outside in our bathing suits during a spring rain shower (as long as there's no thunder and lightning).
• We will go to a river or stream of your choice, or the ocean, and send a message in a bottle.
• We will build a gigantic snowman (or snowwoman), or the strangest sandcastle ever seen.
• We will go to a movie and then out to eat in homemade costumes.

Read Carleton Kendrick's bio.