THANKS & GIVING

Our children are soooo excited for Thanksgiving.  They're already talking about whose cranberries they like best, what kind of after-lunch show they're going to put on with the cousins, and how we should decorate.  They're coming home from school with ceramic turkeys and little stories about what makes them most thankful.  We love it.

This Thanksgiving, in the midst of all the talk and activity and planning, we thought we'd initiate a new family conversation.  So at the dinner table tonight, we're going to talk about Thanksgiving, but we're going to break it down a little.  Into Thanks and Giving.

We're going to discuss - as we often do - what we're most thankful for in our lives.  But we're also going to discuss that second part of the word - the Giving part.  Just to remind the little people (and the big ones, too) how lucky they are to be able to choose whether they want to eat the gorgeous herb-roasted turkey or the cajun-fried one next Thursday.  And how it's their responsibility to give to those who don't come even close to having that choice.

In that spirit, here are a few ideas that might inspire a little dinner-time brainstorm at your house.  We'd love to hear your additions!

• Ask the kids, "What would you most like to see changed in the world?  What are two little things we can do together to help?"
• Discuss "food insecurity".  In Texas, we were surprised to find out that 23.3% of children are "food insecure".  Wow.  We're a lot more thankful for those turkeys.
• Check out these websites:  www.feedingamerica.org and www.thevolunteerfamily.org .  At Feeding America, you can enter your zip code and learn about opportunities close to home.  The Volunteer Family has a fantastic list of ideas specifically for families.  A great conversation starter.