Last year some friends of mine were expecting their first baby and the Mum-to-be was quite apprehensive about having her first baby. She isn't the most confident of women but I just knew that having her babe would be the making of her. I wanted to get them a gift but there wasn't anything material that they needed and all I really wanted to do was give her something that would encourage her to trust her instincts and to realise she would know best for her baby.
I therefore came up with the idea of giving her a New Parents Survival Kit, full of reassuring tokens to symbolise all the wonderful times ahead and qualities that the new parents already have but maybe don't realise. As my friends are Christians, I created a Christian new parents survival kit but you can tailor the kit to any faith or none.
My friends loved this gift and it was so inexpensive to make that I am making more this year for other friends who are expecting babies.
Here is what you will need -
- Paper bag to put all the tokens in
- A piece of pretty ribbon, folded up and tied
- A small candle
- A bath fizzer
- An eraser/ rubber
- A highlighter pen
- A small string of beads
- A couple of marbles
- A safety pin
- A golden nugget (Iron pyrite/ fools gold - very cheap on Ebay)
- A few seeds
- A sticking plaster
- A heart
- Tissues
- A couple of pennies
- A small tub of paint
- Optional - a small angel
- Optional - prayer cards or cards with God's promise that you feel is relevant for the parents or child
How to make up your bag -
- Find an image on the web and use it to make and then print off a big label to stick on your bag
- Type up the explanation list to show the new parents what each token inside the bag means
- You can wrap each token in pretty tissue if you feel your new parents would enjoy unwrapping them
This is the letter I put inside the bag which explains why I have given each of the tokens. You'll need to tailor it to add in your couples names and whether they have a son or daughter. Below is the text from the letter, if you wish to copy and paste it from here to make life easy!
Text for the Letter
Inside your new Christian parent’s survival bag, you’ll find
–
• A ribbon
to bind your love together forever
• A candle,
so that your flame always burns bright
• A bath
fizzer, so the fizz in your relationship never goes out as the best gift you
can give a
child is parents in love
child is parents in love
• A rubber,
so any little mistakes can be erased
• A
highlighter, so you remember to build each other up and enjoy the highlights
• A string
of beads to cast your worries on, God has you protected
• Marbles,
to replace the ones you’ll lose as parents
• A safety
pin, for all the times you’ll keep your child safe
• Golden
Nugget, because you are worth your weight in God and invaluable in our fathers
eyes
• Seeds,
for the knowledge you will sow and the way you will nurture your precious
<son/daughter>
• An angel,
to watch over your <son/daughter> all the times you cannot be with <him/her>
• A
plaster, for all the sore knees and hurts you’ll kiss better as <s/he>
grows
• Pennies,
so you always remember God will provide
• A heart,
for the joy this child will bring you
• Tissues,
for the challenging times ahead
And finally, a tub of paint, as <insert Husband name>
and <Insert wife name>, you have got this covered. You will be fantastic
parents. Just trust your gut and be kind to each other.
Finally this is the little angel I add in to the bag. I bought a pack of three from Oxfam but you could add type you fancy or leave it out entirely. The choice is yours.
Be Blessed, Mich x
Why not pin this for later?
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