I love to open up our home to entertain family and friends. It brings me great joy. My kids love to have friends over to laugh and play with as well. And I love observing them.

It is very clear to me that when our children go into someone else's home they show what they have or have not been taught in their own homes. One thing I notice very often among the younger children is whether or not they have been taught to care for their things. I have seen two children come into my home and within a matter of minutes; every toy they can find is strewn from one end of the house to the other! I have also had a house full of children with hardly any mess at all!

The Difference? The difference is that some children are taught to care for things while others, very clearly, are not.

Teaching a child to value what they are given is important. Value can't be priced. It doesn't matter if a toy comes from the dollar store or is a pricey Christmas gift. We should be teaching our children to appreciate and value EVERYTHING that they have! Why? Because a thankful heart is a happy heart. Happy children are appreciative, responsible, kind and yes - they behave! When you teach your children to value things it creates awareness in them that they don't "deserve" things but are "blessed" to have things. There is a big difference.

Teach your children to appreciate their toys and belongings. Enforce times of clean up and go through their items regularly with them to encourage sharing with other kids who are less blessed.

As our children grow up it will become apparent whether or not they have learned to value what they have. It will show up in how they take care of their first car and it will be evident in the way they handle their money and finances. It all starts with teaching your child to pick up and take care of a toy. It may not always be easy depending on your child's personality, but the time you take to invest in encouraging this habit will be so valuable in the long run.