How to Teach your Children the Spirit of Giving

All the traits we want to instill in our children, generosity is among the most important. When your little one is yelling “mine” and snatching a toy away from a friend, this may seem like an insurmountable task. Children will surprise you, however, and a little guidance will nudge your children toward giving, and may reveal their true, empathetic, generous nature. Parents tend to think about this a lot around the holiday season, but really, it’s the example you set all year long that teaches your children the spirit of giving. Here are some ideas to help you get started.

• Start in your neighborhood. Build good relationships with your neighbors, and teach your kids to pay attention and notice when someone needs help. This could mean mowing an elderly neighbor’s lawn, helping a military family while the servicemember is away, or bringing a casserole to a neighbor who is sick. Even little kids can help with simple chores and yard work when a neighbor needs assistance.
• Make it personal. Let your child choose a toy from the toy store to put in the donation box. “Adopt” a child or family to shop for during the holidays, and let your children help choose the gifts you give. get your kids to clean out their toy collections and donate to people in need.
• Create giving traditions. Serve dinner as a family at a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter. Attend volunteer events at your church or spiritual center, where people work together to clean up a rundown property, repair someone’s home, or pack lunches for needy schoolkids. Remember, giving doesn’t always mean “stuff.” Take your kids caroling at a nursing home once a year to spread holiday cheer.
• Bring them along. Whether you’re donating your money, your goods, or your time, involve your children. Volunteer at their school, take them with you when you shop for items to donate or drop things off at a shelter, and let them see you drop change in the donation jar at the store or put a check into the offering plate. Let them know why you believe giving is important, and they’re likely to follow your lead.
• Model kindness. Open the door for a stranger. Give up your seat on the bus. Smile at the world around you, help when you see a need, and listen to the stories people want to tell. Look for ways to be kind to the people around you, and your kids will notice.
• Give kids opportunities to be generous. Find opportunities throughout the year to let your kids give something that matters. If you have an animal lover, visit the local shelter to donate pet supplies or take a lonely dog for a walk. When you shop for school supplies, buy some extra and donate them to the school. Keep granola bars and bottled water in your car to give to homeless people. A big part of teaching kids to be generous it’s just showing them how to open their eyes to the world around them and notice people who need help.

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