I agree that I think it is clear you are confusing your son by putting so much emphasis on picking out and giving gifts to friends and then telling him the emphasis is on the actual friendship.

Also, a play date wherein a child comes over to play with your son and his toys is exactly what it is all about. They are sharing in the joy of sharing their toys. Does your DS really resent his friends for playing with his toys? Maybe I am just reading too much into what you quoted.

Maybe stop focusing on giving gifts and work on your son's attitude about what it means to share. That is what it means to be a friend. Your buying of all these gifts for other people is obviously not teaching him anything. If you want to teach him how to give, I would help in decide which of his many toys he could donate to the needy.

Anonymous wrote:PP, don't buy gifts for your own children for the Holidays? Really? Would you do that? Probably not.

Not the pp but we don't buy gifts for our daughter for the holidays. She gets so much from family that she doesn't need/expect anything from us.