Children are excited to find brightly wrapped(包装的) presents under the tree on Christmas morning. They can't wait to open the wrapping and get the toys that were on their wish lists, such as toy cars. But after the excitement wears off, those toys are usually left to the corner of the toy box and the kids are searching for something else to do. But it doesn't have to be that way.
A study from the University of Toronto found that giving your child experiences as a gift, instead of toys, improves your child's intelligence and makes stronger parent-child bonds. "Often the focus is only on whether someone likes a gift rather than focusing on a fundamental purpose of gift giving. Knowing that will foster(培养) relationships between the giver and the receiver," said lead researcher Cindy Chan.
Chan suggested that when you are buying a holiday gift or birthday gift, you should buy something that kids can experience with you. This can be movie or concert tickets, a CD from a performance you already saw to keep the memory alive. For example, for kids, a trip to a museum, going ice-skating or a book that the family can read together over and over again are valuable gifts.
It is found that giving your kids too many toys can be counterproductive(适得其反) and make kids at a loss. The best way to make kids happy is to spend time together.
So, if you want happy and intelligent kids, spending time with them and making memories are the best gifts you can give them. That's not to say that there shouldn't be any toys but change the focus from getting things to making lasting memories.
