7-Year-Old Skipping Birthday To Help Needy Kids
CLEBURNE (CBSDFW.COM) - Hayden Goosen is your typical young boy, but for his 7th birthday Wednesday, the first grader is doing something that isn't at all typical of a child his age.
"I was explaining to Hayden, 'how would you feel if you woke up Christmas and you don't have anything?" his mother, Caroline Goosen said, "I said there are a lot of kids that happens, they don't have anything for Christmas and they don't get anything for their birthday."
For Hayden's birthday party this weekend, his fifteen guests will all bring a toy, not for him, but for another child in need.
"We asked on the invitation that we sent out, for everyone to bring an unwrapped gift, or an unwrapped toy instead of a wrapped gift for Hayden." His mom explained.
"I feel glad," Hayden said, "because it's nice to give people presents who don't have presents."
Because Hayden's birthday is so close to Christmas, his parents thought it would be a good idea to teach him about giving back, all the while, helping others.
"We just think it is important for him to learn good values at this time of year," His father, Jason Goosen said, "for him to understand that other people do without."
"The last couple of years the recession has been really hard," Caroline said, "there are a lot of families out there that need some extra help, so I just told him it was important for us to use this opportunity to help other people."
Hayden plans to donate the gifts to a toy drive at his school, Coleman Elementary, in Cleburne. It is a tradition the Goosen's started last year, when Hayden turned six.
