when I was a single mom struggling to raise four children, I used to give a special gift to each child: an I.O.U. Each I.O.U. was for a special treat: one said 'I.O.U. a story-reading session, your choice of book'; another said 'I.O.U. one trip to the park, just the two of us'... you get the idea. Sometimes, the greatest gift you can give any child is your time, when the child decides s/he wants it. Merry Christmas, All!