It's Christmastime and I've been enjoying our youngest two daughters so much this year. They are 5 and 8- - perfect ages for a magical Christmas. Last week my 8 year old (C personality) informed me that it was the day her class got to go to Santa's Secret Shop at school. The PTA puts it on every year to raise money and the kids love to be able to shop for their parents' gifts. So she went to her piggy bank and pulled out $10 to take to school with her. First of all, you have to appreciate the fact that the child knew which day her class was going and actually remembered to take money with her that day. The second thing to realize is the fact that she had saved money. I think you have to have raised an I child to fully appreciate the beauty of this... at any rate, that was how my morning started that day. When my 5 year old I personality daughter heard what was going on she immediately started in with, "I want to go to Santa's Secret Shop! I want some money! Please Mommy! Please!" So I gave her some money, but not without first explaining what she was to do with it... (I'd learned my lesson with my I personality son who took money to Santa's Secret Shop in the second grade and spent all of it on toys for himself. You don't make that mistake twice). She understood that it was to be spent for gifts for her family and off she went, happy as could be. What happened when they got home was priceless and such a perfect example of their individual personality types: Ellie, the C, came home, wrapped her gifts for everyone and put them under the tree with a satisfied "mission accomplished" look on her face. Annie, the I, came busting through the door and immediately wanted to pass out her gifts. I stopped her and explained that they were for Christmas and that she had to wait to give them to us. She didn't like that at all. For two days she begged to pass out her gifts and for two days I talked her out of it over and over again. Finally I got tired of trying to convince her that she'd be sorry if she didn't have any gifts for everyone on Christmas and said, "Go ahead Annie. They're your gifts to give. If you want to give them to us today, you can."
"Right now?!"
"Sure, Annie... right now."
She sprinted to the tree and grabbed the presents and within 30 seconds had passed them out. She then jumped and twirled and danced as we all opened our bobblehead dolls and flashlights and oohed and aahed appropriately. She was in heaven.
I just loved the differences in how the two girls approached the same situation. Ellie planned ahead and put thought and care into her gifts. Annie may not have planned a thing, but she had such a wonderful attitude about giving. You have to love that- - that generous, loving, exuberant spirit.
Well, I do, anyway. Ellie just sighed and rolled her eyes.