Christmas Shopping & Age-Appropriate Gifts

You should get him something “age-appropriate” I had heard that since Noah was about 8 when he still wanted Blue’s Clues notebooks, Baby Bumble Movies made for toddlers, and other preschool-type gifts. I must admit I bought into that line of thought, hook, line, and sinker. I remember some discussions between Tina and me as I pushed for what everyone told me he should want. It was a constant war between the dad who wanted him to fit in and the dad who tried to tell people to let him be him. At one time or another, both dads have won, but mostly it is a war
Year after year, Noah asks for the same gifts, and year after year, we have provided exactly what is on his list. In previous years, I would brush over with friends and family what he was getting; it was just easier. This year something struck me; I don’t care if we get him an “age-appropriate” gift; I want him to have a Noah-appropriate gift. What does that mean? It means that for our son, the gifts that make him happy are appropriate for him. If they happen to be suitable for his age, well, that is a bonus. I am working on not allowing the guilt to wash over me for the values others place on our son. How many adults play video games, are in softball leagues, or do other things that technically are not age appropriate? And who the heck defines age appropriateness anyway? The gifts that Noah requests are his favorite things in the world. They make his day brighter, and we will do everything we can to provide them for him. So, this year on Christmas, I will give an age-appropriate gift of compassion and self-forgiveness. I will not carry the weight of self-judgment for another year. I still plan on singing the clue song from Blue’s Clues and talking to him about things that are important to him because, after all, that is Noah-appropriate. We can now make the crayons have cobbled together templates for the pages because they have long quit making notebooks, and finding them is next to impossible. Caregivers, parents, and grandparents are all doing the best we can at the moment that is provided! Have a Merry Christmas 🎁🎅🎄.