PerryBuilt Family

If you are on facebook you are probably sick of November, with all of the thankful daily posts.  My favorite facebook posts are the posts that start a discussion or prompt a comment, or gives me more information on a subject I am interested in that I did not have without it before.  I don't need a 20 something list of the things people are thankful for. What is important to me is teaching my children gratitude.  It's also important to me to show them gratitude by example, and I am not sure I am always so great at that.  I always remind them to say "Thank You's" and "Please's."  But, they don't often remember on their own without the reminder, and then they just hear me say it over and over and over again. More important than just having manners, is thinking about what is meaningful in you life; it's why you make the decisions you do, it's being appreciative of life's little gifts.  When we see a beautiful sunset, do we say thank y...

It's time to make room for all that extra stuff that comes with the holiday season. From cleaning out the freezer to make room for leftovers for Thanksgiving, to getting out the decorations and wondering what items to put away while putting the seasonal stuff up. Additionally, my kids are working on their Christmas lists and I am thinking, where is it all going to go? My daughter has a hard time letting go of things.  Call it an emotional attachment, or as her teacher put it a pack rat.  I sneak into her room when she is at school to clean out things and she rarely notices they are missing. I was discussing this with a fellow mom recently, and she suggested that this is a value teaching point that I should meet head on to teach her how to let go of items that are no longer played with.  And there could be some added incentives.  Used clothing stores, usually have sections for books, DVDs and gently used toys.  I could put the items in her name a...