kids activity

One of the many activities that I did last week was help miss J create a box for the Valentines she would receive at school. Her school even turned it into a contest this year to encourage the creativity. I guess you could say that she was on the same wave length as me because when I asked her what she wanted it to look like she chose a bee theme. She had no idea that I was doing a bee themed gift for my friends because I hadn’t even started on it yet. Crazy, right? She’s my daughter for sure.

I promised myself a long time ago that I would let my children do their own thing when it came to creating. Even if that meant that other children’s projects might look better because mom and dad helped them more (if you know what I mean). I asked her to design her box by drawing what she wanted it to look like first. Then I wrote down notes about the specifics she wanted. This was all her doing. I did buy the box for her and found some of the supplies just because their wasn’t time to take her out shopping for them. But I stuck to her desires. I found some yellow honeycomb paper to cover the box and we found the other scrapbook paper and sticker letters in my stash to use.

She drew the bees and cut them out. I did cut out the pieces of paper for the box, but she had to glue them on herself. She also drew and cut out everything else and put the stickers on where she wanted them. She ended up not wanting to put everything on she had originally drawn, but she was happy with it. I was so proud of her and she was proud of herself. She didn’t win the competition, but it was a learning opportunity to teach her about doing her best and being true to herself in her designs and in life. I’m blessed to have her and her little sis to share in special holidays with.
-Jess

Post and giveaway sponsored by OshKosh B’gosh, but all opinions are my own. Please see below for additional disclosure.

“Dear Santa,

We believe in you and

all the good things that you do.

Flying reindeer through the night

Sleigh full of toys, sure to delight.

And most important to remember,

All year long, not just December

‘Tis best to GIVE, not just receive.

Joy to All… B’gosh, Believe!”

Even though “Santa” is a fictional character, there is a lot we can learn from him. He really is a giving person! Think about it. He works hard all year to give it all away. He might have some conditions that we don’t have to apply to our own giving, but it is true…’tis best to give, and not just in December, but all year long! This month I partnered with OshKosh for one final giveaway (Congrats to Jaime!) and to focus on giving back. I find it especially important to do with children because they will learn so much from giving when they are little and discover the joy that it brings. My girls and I are doing a few things this Christmas to give back, but one of the first things we did together was write holiday cards to military members, our heroes.

With my husband being in the military, I always teach my girls about the sacrifices that he (and us as well) and others make to serve this country. And that it is a sacrifice that is worth it because we wouldn’t have American without these courageous men and women. They fight for us. They protect us. They do things we will never even know about. Many have even given the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. They are giving to us! So how can we give back to them? I heard about the Holiday Mail for Heroes program and we got to working on some cards to send in. I let them draw pictures or write thank you in the cards and then I wrote a special message in each one as well. Words are powerful. They can be used to do such good. And they are completely free to give!

We talked about other gifts that we can give to others. Things that don’t have any monetary cost. Things like love, hugs and kisses, respect, kind words, and so on. I even had them try giving those gifts to each other 🙂 It was cute. As a part of this time with them, I also went and bought a book (The Giving Tree) to read about giving to reinforce and learn from. Then, I gifted them with their Christmas pajamas (c/o OshKosh) a little early.

I hope to do things like this with them all the time, not just at Christmas. It’s always a good time to send someone a sweet letter, take cookies to local firefighers, tell a nurse how much you value them, pick up some food to give to a food pantry, or even just holding the door for someone and giving them a smile. If we all looked to give back, no matter how small, no matter where we are, amazing things will happen. I will never forget some of the kindness from strangers I have received over the years when we have moved to a new place. Things that didn’t seem like a lot, but for this momma to two littles in a new place, it meant the world.

Do you have any special ways that you give back?

Thank you so much to OskKosh B’gosh for giving me this opportunity to share giveaways and fun posts. Congratulations to all of the winners. Don’t forget you can “Like” OshKosh B’gosh on Facebook, follow @OshKoshBgosh on Twitter, and follow them on Instagram and Pinterest for outfitting ideas, vintage ads, deals and special events! There’s also still time to like OshKosh on Facebook and enter the Countdown to Christmas Sweepstakes for your chance to win a gift card valued up to $1,000. Hurry, the sweepstakes lasts from 12/6 – 12/18. Shop with them online or find a location near you to check out some super cute kids tees and kids denim.

Disclosure Statement
OshKosh B’gosh partnered with bloggers such as me to help promote the OshKosh B’gosh Holiday Network. As part of the program, I received product or gift cards. OshKosh B’gosh believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words, and therefore did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products I used. OshKosh B’gosh policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations. The winner of any giveaway in this program will be randomly chosen and gift card fulfillment will be handled by a third party.

A Bee Themed Valentine’s Card Box

B’Gosh Believe: Giving Back