As we enter the gift-giving season, you might be asking yourself: Are my kids growing up to be givers?
Do they see those around them who are in need?
As adults, it’s our role to guide our children in the best ways to treat others. We have the job of pointing out those who could use encouragement or a need fulfilled.
There’s always doubt that enters our minds about how much our kids know. How much have we taught them? Are they absorbing the important lessons? Are we doing enough to explain how to treat others?
Do they understand what it means to help those around them?
There are 3 big ways we can help cultivate children who are givers.
1: Do it yourself.
Parenting experts agree: one of the biggest ways children learn is through modeling what they see in front of them.
That means you as a parent have a pretty important role in your kids’ development.
No pressure, right?
The nice part is, there are opportunities all around us to give.
Even if it’s more work, or harder, or takes more time, let your kids see you give. Whether you give to a charity, donate food backpacks to your local school, “adopt” a child or family at Christmas, or pledge money to a fundraising auction, let them be in on the giving.
One of the best parts of being a parent is seeing your kids’ joy when they open a gift. We get to experience the anticipation of the season and the joy of Christmas morning through our kids’ eyes, and it makes giving so much fun!
Take the time to explain how it feels, and why you do it to your kids this holiday season.
2: Point it out.
Whenever you see someone being generous or giving, point it out to your kids.
Sometimes just observing the behavior makes an impact. It can be small, like pointing out when a friend shares a toy or a special treat.
Or, find a celebrity that your child admires, whether it be a writer, a singer, an actor, or a sports figure. Read aloud a news article about something generous that person did.
Another way you can point out giving is to find a small business that donates all or a portion of their profits to charity — and find out more behind why they do it. Then connect the dots for your kids about how this person is just like them.
3: Encourage it.
One of the simplest ways we can show our kids how to give is the 3-part method of handling money. You can do special jars or envelopes to visualize this.
The object is, whenever your child receives money, they divide it into a savings jar, a giving jar, and the remainder in a spending jar. Learning money principles like this early in life help set your child up for success as they grow.
You can let your child choose where to give their money, whether it’s your local church, a sponsored child or even a charity that is close to their heart.
If you have teens in the house, they can articulate which causes they feel passionately about, and you can help them donate.
Setting them up for future giving
However, you decide to cultivate giving in your home, do it regularly, not just at the end of the year.
That way, your kids see you making it a priority. They’re more likely to think that it matters to you if they see it happening on a regular basis.
What ideas do you have for cultivating givers?