Gifts We Desire To Give Our Children Part I

by Deborah Pace Rowley

Have you seen the movie The Ultimate Gift? A wealthy grandfather promises his inheritance to his grandson if he meets certain conditions. The purpose of each task is to teach this spoiled- rotten (but good-looking!) young man hard work, friendship, gratitude and other powerful principles that ultimately change his forever.

These lessons, much more than the insane amount of money he receives at the end, are the grandfather’s real legacy to his grandson.  Have you thought about what gifts you will leave your children? I don’t mean the gift of a trust fund (as if!) or Grandma Estella’s china or Grandma G.G.’s antique monkey. Take a look at him, I just know the kids are going to fight over him when I am gone!

So what life lessons or hard-earned truths do you want to pass on to your kids?

When our children were small, my husband and I created a list of 18 gifts we wanted to give our children. These first six gifts are spiritual in nature. These are the gifts we felt would help our children to find meaning and purpose in life.  They are listed first because they matter most to us. Our highest priority is giving these gifts to our children. Regardless of your faith tradition, what gifts do you desire to give your children MORE than anything else?

1. The gift of LOVE. We want our children to know that they are cherished for who they are without needing to perform or accomplish to earn their parents’ affection.

2. The gift of our testimonies of Jesus Christ. We desire to share this testimony by word and example so often that there is no question of our love and commitment to Him.

3. The gift of scripture. We are working to show our children the strength we find in the word of God and want to help them seek guidance and answers in its pages.

4. The gift of a home filled with the Spirit of God. We want our home to be a peaceful sanctuary where our children feel God’s love and are guided in recognizing His spirit in their own lives.

5. The gift of prayer. We hope our children will learn through our prayers as a family that God does hear us and helps us in times of crisis and distress.

6. The gift of repentance. We want our children to know that no matter what mistakes they make, they can be forgiven and healed through the atonement of Jesus Christ.