Get What You Give
Every holiday season we're reminded of the people who live in this world who don't have a lot. I don't know why we focus on this only during the holidays. It's not like these people have enough in say the month of July either, but something about the generous spirit and the season of giving brings out the sharing gene we learned in kindergarten all those years ago.
As many of you know, I teach in a community where the majority of the population would fall closer to the have not's than the haves. Most of them are immigrant families, working sometimes two or three jobs to put food on the table. They often have big families to support with multiple children and extended family living in tight quarters. It's not our business to judge why this is at this time, it just is.
Yet the holidays in my school still seem to conjure up fund raisers and donations galore. Every November, my school does a Chinese Auction to raise money for the PTO. In December, we do something called a Covered Dish celebration where different families donate their time and their food while the holiday chorus concert is underway. We collect cans of food for the food drive during Thanksgiving. We donate items we don't need anymore for families in need. And this season we added on another type of donation due to a retired staff member in the district who is very sick and needs a costly procedure that isn't covered by insurance. As a result we had a school dance, we sold snacks, and had a popcorn sale in order to generate money for the man in need.
Now while thinking of people going without tugs at our heartstrings, it hits the wallet even harder. Say what you want about the community in which I teach, but the people are nothing if not generous. These people, who often qualify for reduced lunch and vouchers for free uniforms are the very same folks who dig down deep and donate whatever they can. In fact, I still believe it's those that are closest to not having a lot who put themselves aside to help out people who have even less.
And yet something about this time of year at school doesn't sit right with me. You know the people of the community don't have a lot but most don't complain. Still, we turn around and ask these people to give. Ironically, many of the same people who do indeed give, are the exact same people who will be recipients of what was collected.
I have one child in my room who is one of six. Just observing her manner of dress and the way she talks about her home life, it's quickly apparent she does not have a lot. Now her case is different because I think the family has worked the system in a way I care not to think about. This child was one of very few kids in my class who brought in cans for the needy during Thanksgiving. Meanwhile her family was on the list of houses receiving a free turkey dinner this holiday season. I don't know if her parents knew she took the cans or not. Something didn't sit right with me a few days later however when she came in to school and started talking about how hungry she was because her parents had a turkey dinner the night before but didn't give her any. It's scenarios like that where biting the hand that feeds you seems to come into play. It's a shame in more ways than one.
It moves me every year that the kids in my class talk about how we have to take care of the poor. Many of them are still oblivious to the fact that they are indeed the poor people that need taking care of. The only danger to giving to those who need without question is that it is very easy to get used to being handed everything. I see this problem every year in my class as my students get so many free things whether it be a book to read or a folder to use. Still, they will fight over what color they got or roll their eyes when you tell them no, they can't have another snack. The lack of appreciativeness worries me immensely. This is why every month, when I give out my prizes, I give out extra prizes to the children who remember to say thank you. You would think by December many more of them would have caught on, but they usually don't.
This is why I'm torn. It's like the believe in Santa himself. Why ruin that thought for them that they can't have what they want? Their parents do whatever it takes in most cases to give them a wonderful Christmas, sometimes so much so that I have no idea how they are doing in. Regardless, I say let them put off the reality for as long as possible, but in the meantime, take the time to teach them the importance of being thankful. It's a little skill that no matter your station in life, is one of the greatest gifts you will ever receive.
As many of you know, I teach in a community where the majority of the population would fall closer to the have not's than the haves. Most of them are immigrant families, working sometimes two or three jobs to put food on the table. They often have big families to support with multiple children and extended family living in tight quarters. It's not our business to judge why this is at this time, it just is.
Yet the holidays in my school still seem to conjure up fund raisers and donations galore. Every November, my school does a Chinese Auction to raise money for the PTO. In December, we do something called a Covered Dish celebration where different families donate their time and their food while the holiday chorus concert is underway. We collect cans of food for the food drive during Thanksgiving. We donate items we don't need anymore for families in need. And this season we added on another type of donation due to a retired staff member in the district who is very sick and needs a costly procedure that isn't covered by insurance. As a result we had a school dance, we sold snacks, and had a popcorn sale in order to generate money for the man in need.
Now while thinking of people going without tugs at our heartstrings, it hits the wallet even harder. Say what you want about the community in which I teach, but the people are nothing if not generous. These people, who often qualify for reduced lunch and vouchers for free uniforms are the very same folks who dig down deep and donate whatever they can. In fact, I still believe it's those that are closest to not having a lot who put themselves aside to help out people who have even less.
And yet something about this time of year at school doesn't sit right with me. You know the people of the community don't have a lot but most don't complain. Still, we turn around and ask these people to give. Ironically, many of the same people who do indeed give, are the exact same people who will be recipients of what was collected.
I have one child in my room who is one of six. Just observing her manner of dress and the way she talks about her home life, it's quickly apparent she does not have a lot. Now her case is different because I think the family has worked the system in a way I care not to think about. This child was one of very few kids in my class who brought in cans for the needy during Thanksgiving. Meanwhile her family was on the list of houses receiving a free turkey dinner this holiday season. I don't know if her parents knew she took the cans or not. Something didn't sit right with me a few days later however when she came in to school and started talking about how hungry she was because her parents had a turkey dinner the night before but didn't give her any. It's scenarios like that where biting the hand that feeds you seems to come into play. It's a shame in more ways than one.
It moves me every year that the kids in my class talk about how we have to take care of the poor. Many of them are still oblivious to the fact that they are indeed the poor people that need taking care of. The only danger to giving to those who need without question is that it is very easy to get used to being handed everything. I see this problem every year in my class as my students get so many free things whether it be a book to read or a folder to use. Still, they will fight over what color they got or roll their eyes when you tell them no, they can't have another snack. The lack of appreciativeness worries me immensely. This is why every month, when I give out my prizes, I give out extra prizes to the children who remember to say thank you. You would think by December many more of them would have caught on, but they usually don't.
This is why I'm torn. It's like the believe in Santa himself. Why ruin that thought for them that they can't have what they want? Their parents do whatever it takes in most cases to give them a wonderful Christmas, sometimes so much so that I have no idea how they are doing in. Regardless, I say let them put off the reality for as long as possible, but in the meantime, take the time to teach them the importance of being thankful. It's a little skill that no matter your station in life, is one of the greatest gifts you will ever receive.
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