For many people, receiving gifts is the best part of the holiday season, their birthdays, and other special occasions. However, when it comes to giving gifts, they may feel the opposite. They find choosing the perfect gift to be a hard or even an impossible task even if their recipient is someone they know or are close to. They worry that anything they pick will not meet the expectations of the recipient and only cause disappointment.
When giving gifts to children with LGBTQ+ parents, the situation is pretty much the same. Because of their unique circumstances, some people might want to be more careful when choosing gifts for kids who have two dads or two moms. They want to make sure that they are giving something that can offer various benefits for the proper growth and development of the little ones in same-sex households and be of good use for a long time.
Before we give our gift ideas for kids with LGBTQ+ parents, let us first give you some information on children who grow up in same-sex households and the different stages of child development.
Characteristics of kids in same-sex households
Around the world, same-sex households are increasing in number. As the LGBTQ+ community continues to fight for their rights, more and more LGBTQ+ couples are able to have kids and grow their families. With the help of surrogacy services like Joy of Life Surrogacy, gay, lesbian, and other LGBTQ+ partnerships can make their dream of becoming parents come true. From how to start the surrogacy process, what the average surrogate cost or surrogacy cost is, and other concerns, Joy of Life Surrogacy can offer help every step of the way.
According to research, raising children in an LGBTQ+ household offers plenty of benefits. Some of the most important ones are:
- Children with LGBTQ+ parents are planned and wanted. – Same-sex couples who want kids have to go through a lot of hoops to have a child. They can adopt or use surrogacy services like Joy of Life Surrogacy and prepare for the surrogate cost or surrogacy cost, go through the surrogacy process, deal with the legal matters, and so on.
- They are more open-minded, tolerant, and empathetic. – Being raised by LGBTQ+ parents gives many opportunities for children to learn about the challenges of the community, enlightening them at a young age about the importance of having open-mindedness, tolerance, and empathy for people who are different.
The 5 stages of child development
Regardless of the type of household a child is raised in, they go through the same stages of development.
1. Newborn – The newborn stage is the first two months of your baby. During this time, they are able to make small head movements, turn their heads towards sounds, react to external stimuli, see objects very close to them, and cry when they need something.
2. Infant – The infant stage occurs from the 3-month to the 1-year mark. Usually, when your baby is 3 to 6 months old, they start to smile at people, babble, recognize you and other familiar faces, move their hands and arms, and have more control of their head movements. Between 6 to 9 months, they may be able to start to sit without support, communicate using gestures, and respond to hearing their names. At 9 to 12 months, they might start crawling, standing without support, mimicking gestures and sounds, and pointing at objects.
3. Toddler – The toddler stage starts once your child turns 1. At this point, they are able to stand on their own, learn to walk on their own, and even start to run. They can hold a crayon or pencil and draw a circle or scribble, do the bye-bye wave, and say words and short sentences. They can also follow and obey simple instructions.
4. Preschool age – The preschool stage happens when your child is between the ages of 3 and 5. By this time, they go through important motor and cognitive development. They can catch and throw a ball, hop and skip, and dress themselves. They can also draw better and more properly and speak in long and complete sentences. At around age 4, they usually learn to go to the toilet and use the bathroom by themselves too.
5. School-age – The school-age stage refers to the ages between 6 years and 17 years. During these years, your child learns independence and to have their own opinions. Their speaking, writing, and learning abilities also improve and become established. They learn to make friends and develop a wide range of emotions, and know to express them using gestures and words.
Gift ideas for kids with LGBTQ+ parents
Now that you have some basic information about LGBTQ+ parenting and child development, check out our suggestions for unique gift ideas for children in same-sex households to give on their birthday, Christmas, and other special occasions below:
- Rainbow-colored rattles and teething toys
The pride flag, which is often used as a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community, displays the colors of the rainbow. You can get ring, animal-shaped, and other fun styles of rattles and teething toys in bright and vivid colors to not only represent the LGBTQ+ movement but also to help with the child’s stimulation and fine motor skill development.
- LGBTQ+-friendly children’s books
In addition to the well-loved and timeless tales for kids, such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack and the Beanstalk, you can help expand your LGBTQ+ friends’ bedtime-reading options with children’s stories that are LGBTQ+-friendly. And Tango Makes Three, Stella Brings the Family, and Prince & Knights are just a few examples of inclusive children’s books.
- Clothing items with messages of love
Nowadays, there are many shops or websites that let you customize tees, towels, socks, pajamas, onesies, and other clothing items. For your LGBTQ+ friends’ children, you can design some with nice messages about love, such as “love is love is love” or “created with love,” printed on them.
- Mechanical toys
Toys designed with many buttons, levers, and knobs work the fingers, hands, eyes, brain, and the senses, encouraging curiosity and problem-solving in kids. Some examples are pop-up toys, construction sets, and tool kits.
- Push-pull toys
As children get closer to their first birthday, they become more mobile and active. To support them in their interest of moving around and exploring everything around them, push-pull toys are a great tool. Toy strollers, walking trolleys, and wagon toys, for example, allow them to practice their balancing, coordination, spatial, and directional skills, and also support muscle-building in their arms, legs, and trunk.
- Musical toys
According to studies, babies who are exposed to music have higher listening, reading, speech, and language development skills. Through toys that play sounds when buttons are pressed or those miniature piano, guitar, or drum toys made of plastic, children’s brains can become more efficient and better at transmitting and processing information. They can also enhance their creativity, imagination, sensory, and cognitive skills.
- Puzzles
Whether peg puzzles, wooden puzzles, cube puzzles, shape sorters, or jigsaw puzzles, children can experience many benefits by playing with them from a young age. Among the key benefits of puzzles for child growth and development are boosting their fine motor, problem solving, and hand-eye coordination skills; improving their attention span, visual perception, attention to detail, memory, and mood; and encouraging independent play.
