I’ve given my kids terrible presents before. Probably not bad enough to elicit the hilarious reaction in this video, but enough to make me work harder at the art of gifting.

As a parent, the best gift you can give your child is yourself, i.e. being present and spending time with them. This is more important than any other present you will give your child in their lifetime.

However, you can’t quite escape the gifting culture in Singapore. If you’re a parent, this means hunting down that prized gift for your child every birthday, Christmas, Children’s Day and other celebratory occasions.

The challenge gets bigger every time – and as kids get better showing what they like and dislike.

Gifting anxiety

As a parent myself, I always wanted to be the one who gives my child that special gift – you know, the one that…

• makes them squeal in joy
• makes it seem as if you really have mind-reading powers
• has a lasting impact on my child – long after the party banners come down.

Yup, I’m secretly competitive that way. I’ll be asking myself: Is this gift too cheap/expensive? Do they already have it? Will it end up unwanted after a few days? Will it make them jump for joy or fly through the roof?

Wanting to find the right gift might explain why many people experience gifting anxiety around special occasions when gifts are traditionally exchanged. You may be the most organised/hands-on/affectionate parent but perhaps you’re not very “gifted” at picking out unique presents for your child.

This stress can zap the joy out of gifting. Thankfully, there is a way out.

Choosing gifts with lasting value

Games and toys are important for your child’s development but if they seem to have everything, consider a more meaningful gift that’s original and with enduring value. It’s not as hard as you think. Just choose from one of these categories:

• Experience gifts: These are activities you can do together, from travelling and learning to creating and volunteering.
• Memory lane gifts: These records of milestones, journeys, and musings about the future will always have a place in your child’s life even when they’re 60.
• Future-proofing gifts: These protect your child’s future and enable them to achieve their dreams.

Any gift that falls into these categories will be one of a kind and irreplaceable because of a single key ingredient: your involvement. Hence, your child won’t receive the same thing from someone else.

Fail-proof gifts for your child

Ready to discover fail-proof gifts for your child? I’ve put together four gift options for kiddos that are unexpected, unforgettable and have a lasting effect.

Gift #1: Garden project (Experience gift)

Kids like getting their hands dirty and gardening lets them do that while learning about life cycles and where food comes from. Give your child their own gardening space, such as a corner of your balcony at home, along with some seeds, pots and gardening tools. Let them grow flowering and non-flowering plants including edibles.

As your child sows seeds, waters plants and repots them, they’ll develop skills like responsibility, patience and counting. Gardening also teaches kids to embrace nature and takes them away from their electronic devices. If you have a preschooler, encourage them to chart their plant’s growth by recording its height or number of flowers. They’ll feel a sense of accomplishment after all their hard work.

Gift #2: Scrapbook of memories (Memory lane gift)

A scrapbook makes a perfect memory lane gift and it’s 100% personal. Decide on a theme such as your child’s “firsts” or milestone moments. Alternatively, theme it around your child’s interests. If it’s planes, you could fill the book with photos of your child in a pilot uniform, a paper plane they folded, a list of their favourite books about flying, funny travel stories and plane boarding passes.

P.S. Planning a trip with your child during the holidays? Read this holiday survival guide for parents first.

Like old photo albums, this record of cherished memories and thoughts is something your child will want to look at again and again. Creating a scrapbook can also be therapeutic and a different way of expressing your love for them. You could fill the entire scrapbook yourself or fill just half of it, leaving your child to complete the rest of the story.

Gift #3: A year of free dates (Experience gift)

With your hectic working schedule, both you and your child are probably yearning for more quality one-to-one time together. Give junior a stack of free date coupons that they can “redeem” every month. Each coupon could entitle them to a fun activity like visiting a cat cafe, playing dress up, camping outdoors, visiting a natural history museum or recording a song at a music studio. For more excitement, include one bonus Make a Wish coupon where your child gets to choose the date activity.

Going on dates with your child is your chance to focus entirely on them so resist the urge to look at your phone during these bonding sessions. When they see that they have your full attention, they’ll be more open to sharing what’s on their mind.

Gift #4: Protection for your child’s future and dreams (Future-proofing gift)

While it may not exactly make a five-year-old squeal for joy, one of the most valuable and lasting gifts you can give your child is a financially secure future – one where they will always have the support to live their life and chase their dreams.

That’s where insurance comes in. By protecting your child with a starter Integrated Shield Plan (IP) tailored for those under 40 years, for instance, you won’t have to worry about draining savings meant for your child’s future education on their hospital bills. It makes a wallet-friendly gift too, with insurance premiums of up to S$300 (excluding GST) for a starter IP payable using your MediSave.

Aside from insuring your child, you could consider insuring yourself. You may want to enhance your severe disability coverage with a CareShield Life or ElderShield supplement that gives higher monthly payouts to help you manage long-term care costs. This way, should you become disabled and need help with activities of daily living (washing, toileting, walking or moving around, transferring, feeding or dressing), you won’t have to choose between your kid’s future needs and paying for long-term care.

Closing notes on gifting for parents

The Covid-19 pandemic has made me better appreciate the real sources of joy in life and the importance of protecting what matters for my family’s future. From one parent to another, I’ll say this: use your next gifting opportunity to give your child a gift that makes them feel special and shows your lasting love for them.

^Notes

^{As this product has no savings or investment feature, there is no cash value if the policy ends or if the policy is terminated prematurely. Buying a health insurance policy that is not suitable for you may impact your ability to finance your future healthcare needs.}

^{You will need to have a basic CareShield Life (CSHL) or ElderShield (ESH) policy before purchasing Singlife CareShield Standard or Singlife CareShield Plus (“Supplements”). Supplements purchased by CSHL policyholders are regulated under the CareShield Life and Long-term Care Act. Supplements purchased by ESH policyholders before the transfer of ESH to Government administration are considered ESH Supplements, which are regulated under the Central Provident Fund (Withdrawals for ElderShield Scheme) Regulations. After the transfer, they are considered CSHL Supplements, regulated under the CareShield Life and Long-term Care Act.}