My kids. Oh, my kids. As most readers know, Buggy will be 7 two days after Christmas and Buddy is 4. While we are an average to below average income family living paycheck to paycheck, I have always made sure that they have great things. They get to do fun things (thanks to my blog) such as go to a pumpkin patch, see Clifford Live and Sesame Street Live, and I always try to make Christmas special for them as well as birthdays. For example, last year for Christmas, Buddy got a Leap Frog and Buggy got a Nintendo DS.

Unfortunately, I think my children are some of the most unappreciative children I have ever met. For example, last night at Sesame Street Live, Buggy sat in her seat and pouted the entire time we were there! No joke. The entire time. They do not say thank you for things whether it be something we do for them or something purchased for them. (Growing up, my sisters and I said thank for everything! In fact, we would say thank you so much, our parents would tell us to stop!)

The kids do not pick up after themselves. There are toys everywhere in my house! They leave them out for the dog or the cats to chew on and destroy. They break everything. I just had to cut a string to a crane because they tied the crane string to another toy. Buddy alone has broken 3 Nintendo DS this year alone! He dropped one in the toilet and the other two he managed to disconnect the screen from the actual game console. CD’s and DVD’s are all scratched up because they do not handle them with care and they let their clothes lay all over the house thinking someone is going to pick up after them.

Yet, they do not understand the value of these material items, nor do they respect and appreciate the things they have. So this year, I am cancelling Christmas for my children and going to teach them a lesson instead.

I am going to let them make out their Christmas list as usual, but instead of buying the presents for them, they are going to come with to purchase those presents. And instead of wrapping them and keeping it for themselves, we will donate all the presents to Toys for Tots or a Christmas angel or some other child in need.

I am not saying my kids won’t get presents this year. I am sure grandparents, aunts and other family members will get them gifts, but they will not be getting gifts from us and the gifts that come from Santa will be small and inexpensive.

I am not doing it to be mean and spiteful. I want my children to learn the value of everything they have. They have a roof over their heads, clothes on their backs, food on the table, internet, cable, toys, games, books – things that some children do not have.

I want them to appreciate the small things they have and realize they are lucky to have what they have. I want this Christmas season to be a lesson and to be about giving rather than receiving. I want them to respect their belongings and appreciate what they have.

Am I wrong to cancel Christmas? What would you do if you were in my situation?