Giving to charity is important for many people. It makes you feel good and it makes others feel good. When one helps others through the act of giving to charity it becomes an act of kindness that goes around in circles and comes back tenfold.
When it comes to kids giving to charity, one has to handle it a little differently. The younger your kids are the less likely they are to comprehend what giving to charity really means.
It is still important you introduce the concept of donating, as it helps teach very important life skills.
Kids should give to charity because it teaches them empathy. When kids give to a charitable cause they are helping others who are less fortunate. The act of giving to others who are less fortunate helps kids to realize that the things they have and take for granted are not a given for everyone in this world. Empathy is a skill that all kids should learn so that they can grow up to be open minded adults.
When kids give to charity they start to learn the feeling of being grateful. They become grateful for what they have and grateful for others who are thankful for their act of giving. Whether your kids are thinking about giving to charity on their own or getting a nudge from you, they will ultimately learn the art of being grateful.
Kids who give to charity from a young age forward will often continue to give back to charity as adults. When you become the parent who engages this pursuit of having kids give to charity, you are setting the world up for more positive characters to enter the adult world. The world can use more kindness and people who enjoy giving to others.
How can Kids Give to Charity
When your kids are young the charity giving will really come out of the parents pocket more than the kids, but that’s okay. You are still teaching valuable skills as shared above. Set a budget of how much you will give to each child to give to charity, perhaps have them do chores for money and devote a portion of those funds earned to go towards charity.
Kids can also donate time as part of giving to charity. Often times high school students need a specific number of volunteer hours in order to graduate. Teaching them to be involved in volunteering their time to charity events now will help them in the high school years to realize this is simply part of being a good human being and graduation high school.
Research local community events that support various charity causes and have the time become a family event. Consider heading to the local charity event with your kids and take part in the event together. Once your kids are old enough to do this on their own it will have become a habit that this charity event becomes a part of their life.
While there are many benefits to giving to charity, the act of giving tends to slide out of many kids minds as they get older and involved in their own life. Start young and encourage your kids to give to charity any chance they can for it will truly make them a more positive person as an adult.
About the Author – Brandy Ellen Tanner is a Positive Lifestyle blogger who works from home while raising her 3 children. Learn more about Brandy at BrandyEllen.com and read her other parenting articles at ParentInfluence.com.