U-NEEKS Help Me Teach My Kids That Being Unique Is Great

(Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Dayspring to promote their new U-NEEK collection. All thoughts are my own.)

Having two children with special needs means that we talk about being “different” a lot and how great it is to be unique. I want them to know that God made them and they are perfect to Him. The boys don’t really notice their differences that much yet but I know as they get older others will point them out. A perfect example happened just yesterday. We were at Jacob’s baseball game and an older sibling of one of Jacob’s teammates was playing with Lucas. He accepted that Luke couldn’t always articulate what he was saying clearly but was quick to point out that Lucas was behind on something else that his two year old sister was doing. He didn’t say it to be mean as his “friendship” to Lucas has been a blessing this season, but it was said and I know many other kids wouldn’t have been so kind about it.

When we talk about how we are unique I love playing “raise your hand if…” and have the boys raise their hand if a statement I say applies to them. Some are physical features (like hair color and eye color), some are about likes or dislikes and some are just silly statements. The boys enjoy doing this and each time we talk about how they are alike (you both love to eat ice cream) and different (one of you likes red and one of you likes pink). In the end I stress how God made them unique and they are perfect just the way they are.

One new way that we are talking about God making us unique is by playing with our new U-NEEK stuffed animals. God has made each one of us different on purpose.  In the Bible ( Psalm 139:14 ) we are reminded that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God, each U-Neek in our own way.  That is what this cast of characters is all about, reminding and encouraging us in a fun, random, sometimes weird and innocently strange way.  

The boys love cuddling with their new U-NEEK friends. Want to get your own? Now through July 14th you can find U-NEEKS at Walmart and Hobby Lobby! There is also a fun new U-NEEKS app that has just been made available in the iTunes App Store and Google Play store.

How do you teach your children that being unique is a gift? I’d love to hear!