| Because children and teens are always growing and | | | | music of your choice added. A DVD transfer two |
| changing, finding suitable holidays gifts for the younger | | | | hours long costs about $25 and, unlike the rest of |
| people in your life can often by challenging. If you | | | | those formats, will last the rest of the child's life and will |
| choose the latest hot toy, music CD, or popular | | | | still be around for his or her grandchildren to see.(4) A |
| electronic device, chances are your gift might be | | | | homemade gift certificate for an experience, rather |
| something they already have or a duplicate of another | | | | than just another object to gather dust. If it's for an |
| gift. Even if they love the gift, it's something everyone | | | | activity that can only be done in the spring or summer, |
| else has, too, and chances are, a year from now, they | | | | and not in the winter, the anticipation of the event for |
| won't remember who gave it to them. Make your gift | | | | months to come adds to the excitement over the long |
| a memorable and lasting one, not necessarily the most | | | | term. Or make it something the child or teen has |
| expensive or what's currently "cool". Here are five | | | | always wanted to do, like trying snowboarding or |
| ideas for novel gifts (at least in this day and age) that | | | | taking guitar lessons. And just be sure to make good |
| give a growing young person benefits that could go on | | | | on the gift certificate when and as promised.(5) If your |
| and on:(1) A book with a meaningful or life-changing | | | | child or teen struggles with schoolwork or thinks that all |
| message, especially for teenagers. Think back on | | | | things academic are distasteful, find a product....be it a |
| those books, fiction or non-fiction, that have most | | | | book, software, or other item....that makes learning fun. |
| influenced your own life and your own thinking. Find a | | | | Educational games abound today, if you know where |
| new copy, and share it with a growing mind in a world | | | | to find them. Search on the internet under educational |
| that beckons youth with shallow distractions. Write of | | | | games, learning tools, or homeschooling catalogs, just |
| your own feelings about the book inside the front | | | | to start. Long before I became a homeschooling mom, |
| cover and why you want to share it. Date your entry. | | | | I found great holiday presents for my son and other |
| Even if the recipient doesn't read it right away, one | | | | young family members in homeschooling catalogs. Be |
| day that book may be his or her only link to the mind | | | | the person who teaches the young person in your life |
| and heart of the giver and, as a result, will be treasured | | | | that learning and boring are not synonyms.Another doll, |
| along with the benefits gained from actually reading | | | | another outfit, another DVD....all of these won't make of |
| it.(2) If you have little ones in your extended family, and | | | | a difference in a young person's life. Find a gift with |
| you live far away from them, make an audio CD of | | | | lasting impact. Even if it doesn't seem as appreciated |
| yourself reading stories appropriate to their age level. | | | | right now as the Lego or the i-Pod, someday those will |
| Then, you can be there reading them a bedtime story, | | | | be in a box in the attic while the effects, the memories, |
| even when you're a thousand miles away. Better yet, | | | | and the results of your "thought-full" holiday gift will live |
| if you're an aunt, uncle, or grandparent, make a tape or | | | | on and on.Linda Popolano is a homeschooling mom |
| CD on which you tell stories from your own childhood | | | | and an Independent Consultant for BRIGHT MINDS |
| in which you include your siblings' or your grown | | | | The Critical Thinking Company at Home. To find out |
| children's experiences from the years before the gift | | | | more about their award-winning and fun-to-use learning |
| recipient was born. If you're really ambitious, you can | | | | tools for all ages and grade levels, please visit her |
| produce your own family's oral history.(3) Take your | | | | website at and e-mail her to learn about special holiday |
| old family still photos, 16 mm films, and VHS/camcorder | | | | discounts. You can also sign up for her monthly |
| tapes to a photo/film shop that offers transfer to | | | | newsletter at to keep up to date on new products, |
| DVD. Photos and film without sound can have themed | | | | homeschooling tips, etc. |