Unadulterated Joy
You should have seen my boy at the UNICO Christmas party on Saturday. He was out-of-his-mind excited. Dancing. Singing. Squealing with delight over a hair dryer-like gadget that blew toilet paper around the room. It's the type of moment that makes you forget all the hardships of parenting and fills your heart with a joyful holiday spirit.
We were able to attend this function, thrown by the Bayonne chapter of the Italian-American service organization, because my cousin's husband is a member and a generous relative bought our tickets. The group seemed to spare no expense on the entertainment and the food, and the kids loved every second of it.
While I indulged at the buffet table - think large dishes of provolone, salami and mini pizzas followed by trays of macaroni, chicken and sausage - my son and his cousins played games, got their faces painted and danced the Hokey Pokey. (Hendrick was too stimulated to sit down and eat so I, uh, ate enough for the both of us.)
To top it off, Santa arrived and handed the children a large present suited to their age and gender. Hendrick and the other toddler boys were given a Home Depot construction vehicle, the kind they could ride on and maneuver the bucket. It even came with a plastic hard hat.
They couldn't wait until they got home to open their presents. The poor waiters had to dodge bright orange trucks while the boys speed around the open floor plan.
I started to feel a twinge guilty about all this prosperity until I caught a glimpse of the other table filled with gifts. Each family who came to the party brought a cheerfully wrapped gift for an underprivileged child in town.
It's great to spoil our children. But it's even better to teach them to share our blessings and allow other kids to experience that same feeling of unadulterated joy.
We were able to attend this function, thrown by the Bayonne chapter of the Italian-American service organization, because my cousin's husband is a member and a generous relative bought our tickets. The group seemed to spare no expense on the entertainment and the food, and the kids loved every second of it.
While I indulged at the buffet table - think large dishes of provolone, salami and mini pizzas followed by trays of macaroni, chicken and sausage - my son and his cousins played games, got their faces painted and danced the Hokey Pokey. (Hendrick was too stimulated to sit down and eat so I, uh, ate enough for the both of us.)
To top it off, Santa arrived and handed the children a large present suited to their age and gender. Hendrick and the other toddler boys were given a Home Depot construction vehicle, the kind they could ride on and maneuver the bucket. It even came with a plastic hard hat.
They couldn't wait until they got home to open their presents. The poor waiters had to dodge bright orange trucks while the boys speed around the open floor plan.
I started to feel a twinge guilty about all this prosperity until I caught a glimpse of the other table filled with gifts. Each family who came to the party brought a cheerfully wrapped gift for an underprivileged child in town.
It's great to spoil our children. But it's even better to teach them to share our blessings and allow other kids to experience that same feeling of unadulterated joy.
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