The most precious gift for our daughter costs (almost) nothing
17/1/2024
Translation: Elicia Payne
When you’re getting a birthday present for a child it’s hard to go wrong. They usually have plenty of requests. One gift, on the other hand, is rarely on the wish list, but it’s more precious than any other.
«A horse! The Paw Patroller! Things from Dino Dana!» These are a few of the things our daughter has wished for. Zoe’s celebrating her fifth birthday in a few days. She’s asked for a dinosaur party. No problem. The horse? Definitely not. Everything else? We’ll see.
Zoe wants lots of material things – after all, she’s only little. The mountain of toys at home grows and grows, and soon we’ll need an extension. I’m exaggerating. To make sure it doesn’t get that far, fortunately us parents have a bit of control over Zoe’s wishes and the presents she receives from her godmother and grandad.
Source: Midjourney
Educational
Books and games, painting and handicrafts, dinosaurs and Schleich animals, Playmobil and, more recently, Lego. Zoe enjoys a wide range of activities. On the one hand, this opens up a wide range of potential gifts, but on the other hand, she already has so much. To avoid gifting the same thing twice and to promote sustainability, it’s proven a good idea for grandparents, godparents, family and friends to ask us first before buying gifts.
Source: Patrick Vogt
For example, Zoe’s balance board and Tiptoi pen were gifts from her godmother and grandma following our advice and she still enjoys them today. By the way, sometimes all you need for a great gift is a bit of luck and no money. I recently discovered «Schnappt Hubi!», the children’s game of the year 2012. It was in perfect condition in the drop and collect corner of the waste disposal centre, so I brought it home with me!
Additional funding for an (expensive) hobby
It’s no surprise that Zoe wants a horse. She seems to have been born with a love of these animals. So we’ve been taking her to riding lessons for around a year and a half. Riding lessons for a small child don’t cost the earth, especially as she’s only had one per week so far. Nevertheless, or precisely for this reason, we consider the odd riding lesson to be a wonderful gift. Her godfather Dominik once combined paying for and accompanying Zoe to one of the riding lessons and stayed to spectate.
Be it for riding lessons, a season ticket to the zoo or piano lessons; I’d always consider a specific purpose or use when giving money or gift cards. Most people at this age probably don’t understand the monetary value. For Zoe, for example, coins are just something mummy and daddy always seem to have at their infinite disposal. We never tire of explaining to her that this is by no means the case.
Source: Sofia Vogt
Time together: the best gift is priceless
Zoe loves excursions of all kinds. A walk with a picnic by the lake, a visit to the zoo or a day at theme park Connyland, you name it. Of course, depending on the situation, it also costs a bit of money. But what we all need first and foremost is something we sometimes take too little of: time. That’s why we always say «Your time with Zoe is the best gift» to everyone who asks us what they should gift her.
Time flies by so quickly. As adults, we know that too well. So every moment our daughter’s able to experience with her loved ones is all the more precious. After all, both sides get much more from this than any toy can give.
This is what mummy and daddy are giving you this year
Sustainability and purpose here, educational value there, sometimes we can and should ignore adult reason. After all, it’s for a child. That’s why Zoe will be getting the Paw Patroller from us. Are we throwing our values out the window? I don’t think so. We’re simply fulfilling a wish that she’s already expressed several times. She’ll be delighted. And that’s what her birthday is all about.
What are you giving your child for their birthday? What do you look out for? Let the Community and me know in the comments
Header image: Midjourney
I'm a full-blooded dad and husband, part-time nerd and chicken farmer, cat tamer and animal lover. I would like to know everything and yet I know nothing. I know even less, but I learn something new every day. What I am good at is dealing with words, spoken and written. And I get to prove that here.