The Very Best Gift You Can Give Another Mom

When I thanked her for helping me (and acting as if she had all the time in the world to do so) she wrote this:

“Your treasure is my treasure.” 

What a beautiful concept. What a wonderful approach in caring for someone else’s child.

Your treasure is my treasure. 

Your child is precious to you, so she’s precious to me too.

I see your child’s value – and I’ll treat her accordingly. 

My challenge to any parent reading this is to consider these questions: Whose child have I encouraged lately? What young life have I invested in above and beyond the norm? 

It doesn’t take money or grand gestures to invest in someone’s child, because true relationships don’t need a big show. Instead, we can look for small opportunities to show the kids in our environment that we notice them and care.

We can congratulate them on their accomplishments. Show up in times of grief. Encourage them with handwritten notes. Point out their gifts and abilities. Treat them to yogurt or ice cream. Ask about their hopes and dreams. Help make their dreams come true.

We parents all have gifts to offer that other kids and families need. We all have a role to play in promoting community over competition. Although we live in an age of child-centered parenting – where an obsessive focus on our kids can blind us to the needs and desires of other kids – we can buck the trends that lead to self-absorption and teach our kids instead to think beyond themselves.

Making a difference in the life of a child is a parent’s ultimate legacy. And while investing in our own kids is a given, investing in someone else’s child is a gift – a gift that can profoundly impact the future and keep the village alive.

***

This post originally appeared at KariKampakis.com.


Kari Kampakis
Kari Kampakis
Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a mom of four girls, as well as an author, speaker, and blogger from Birmingham, Alabama. Her new book for moms, LOVE HER WELL: 10 WAYS TO FIND JOY AND CONNECTION WITH YOUR TEENAGE DAUGHTER, launches August 18 and can be pre-ordered through online retailers. Her two books for teen and tween girls, Liked: Whose Approval Are You Living For? and 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know, have used widely across the country for youth group studies. Join Kari on FacebookTwitter, and The Girl Mom Podcast, or by visiting www.karikampakis.com.

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