Get your kids involved in giving
One section of sidewalk, steaming hot chocolate and goofy, but festive holiday hats. That’s how my three kids learned about generosity toward others and the importance of giving time, talent or money.
When the Salvation Army kettles appeared at holiday time, our family answered the call for bell ringers and manned the same store entrance on Christmas Eve for I don’t know how many years regardless of snow, wind and subfreezing temperatures. The hot drinks and holiday hats made for a fun and meaningful family tradition — something we all looked forward to as the holidays approached.
While it was easy to teach our kids the value of giving during the holidays, we helped steer them to other opportunities the rest of the year, including stocking shelves at a food pantry, raking leaves or shoveling snow for an elderly neighbor, reading books to young children at a Boys & Girls Club, and even dusting bookshelves at a local library.
Perhaps you have worked on teaching your kids about saving money, making good choices when spending money, and the concept of delayed gratification. What about the concept of charity?
With so many toys in short supply this year, consider cutting back on buying and instead emphasize “giving” rather than “receiving.”
Charity begins at home, including teaching your children the importance of helping others and the experience of feeling generous. Kids will follow your lead, especially younger children. Even the simple act of packing up old winter coats that no longer fit and delivering them to a community drop-off site won’t go unnoticed.
It’s easy to write a check and send it off. But before you do, talk to your children about what you’re doing and why. Perhaps you’ve designated two or three special charities to donate to because of a family or other personal connection, or an issue that you’re passionate about. These could be meaningful stories to share with your kids.
In addition, help your child find a charity that they are interested in knowing more about, said Susan Beacham of Money Savvy Generation, a financial literacy company.
She suggests staying local so you can visit the charity in person and possibly even have some hands-on experience that will turn the abstract concept of charity into something concrete.
Other strategies:
If age appropriate, encourage your kids to check out watchdog websites that review charities such as the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, Guidestar and Charity Navigator. Vetting a charity is most important now because December is the biggest month for giving.
When shopping, give your child some money to drop in a bucket outside the grocery store, or let the youngster help pick out food items for those who are struggling.
Most importantly, Beacham said, show your child “how to give what is within their means and then explain how their giving is added to other donations, and before you know it, the amount of the donation is significant.”
The bottom line: Encouraging your kids to devote time, energy and even some money during the holidays will go a long way toward helping them continue those habits throughout the year.
What are your family’s charitable traditions? Share them with me.