I am looking for some advice. Over the years I have had children make something for me or someone else that I, or the other person, end up not knowing what should be done with it. It is for that reason that I am not a fan of cards. When I receive one it may really touch me, but then I don't know what to do with it. I feel guilty, ungrateful, and wasteful throwing them away. I have saved some for crafts, which isn't bad, but even then they build up. It's like that with those little gifts that are made by little hands or dug out of their pile of stuffed animals. What do you do with them?
The thing I want advice about is what to do when I have a sap for a child who wants to give gifts for everyone's special day or occasion. The gifts are, again, an old toy or stuffed animal that was grabbed up without any thought but how fun it is to give something, or a hastily created something or other.
I have explained that when we give a gift we do so for the benefit of the recipient, and that it should cost something of us. It doesn't change the always present process though. I don't want to "hurt feelings," but I know how awkward it is to receive one of these gifts. (After my surgery, a child gave me a baby toy belonging to them simply because they wanted to give a gift.)
How do I encourage thoughtfulness but refine the gift giving itself? Personally I think it's better not to give a gift than to give a useless one just for the sake of giving one.
Let me know what you think.