11th December 2023

Christmas is for many families an exciting time of year. For children, it is often (along with birthdays) a particular highlight. In addition to being off school, eating particularly delicious meals and spending time with friends and family, there is the expectation of gifts.

Every family is different – and children’s experiences and expectations around festive gift giving can vary greatly. What one child might consider a fantastic haul might bitterly disappoint another. As parents, it can be challenging to finely balance this. Financial pressures, peer pressure and difficulty understanding which exact version of game, which model truck or which outfit for a doll that your child wants can increase the stress of parents.

Here are a few tips on how to avoid conflict and how to react if your child expresses jealousy, unhappiness or disappointment in gifts. Read the full ‘Parent’s guide to gift giving’ blog post here: https://www.parentingni.org/blog/parents-guide-gift-giving/