Ways to teach your child about charity

Teaching children about charity is worthwhile for both the kids and parents. Learning the importance of helping others and the habit of giving is a source of empowerment in this society of uncertainties. An ideal way of reinforcing charitable values in children is to make the spirit of giving a family habit. Encourage each member of your family to take part in voluntary activities and praise your kids when they show empathy and generosity to the needy.

Basically, it is essential to educate the little ones that they belong to a bigger community and they should be responsible to everyone around them. By teaching your children the significance of giving, you will encourage them to grow up with the sense of empathy and a powerful charitable spirit. Here are some ways to teach your child about charity.

Turn birthday parties charitable

Kids are passionate about their birthdays hence you can incorporate charitable activities during such events. You can ask guests invited to your child's birthday to come with gifts to be donated to a charitable organization within your locality. Encourage your child to donate some of the gifts he has received such as books to other kids in the neighborhood who have no books. Make sure he understands that birthdays can also be celebrated by showing compassion to the destitute. The birthday kid should be involved in the decision of either giving the gifts to a charity organization, a women's shelter or a doctor's office. This gesture can have an impact in your child's life if it is recorded on a camera and replayed frequently during subsequent birthdays.

Help your neighbors

Giving a helping hand to those around you is a great way to make your family develop the habit of giving. You can give your services for free to the community, clean the compound of elderly couples around or bake some cookies and distribute them to different shelters.

Donate clothes

You can also check your closet for clothes that don't fit any more or those you don't need and donate them to Goodwill to be distributed to the needy. When your kids see you doing this occasionally they will learn the value of generosity and charity. Moreover, you can make this activity effective by going through their closets with them and choosing the right items for donation. Remember to visit charitable organizations together with the kids while dropping the items.

Donate blood

Another worthwhile activity to participate in is blood donation. There are many people who need blood to survive and taking your kids to blood donation centers to see the exercise is helpful. They will get to learn why it is important to donate blood and how life is saved through this empathetic gesture.

Deliver food

Holidays are great periods to let your family do some activities for the community. You can have kids help you prepare food baskets and deliver them to a destitute family in your area. Kids can suggest families that really need your help and you can visit those families together during holidays. Involve your kids in choosing fruits, snacks and other gifts to be included. Have the gift packages decorated and deliver them to charity.

Service to the elderly

Set a day to help the elderly people around. You can mow the grass for them, clean their compounds after a heavy storm, clean their windows and even wash grand father's car. Such activities will make your kids appreciate and be ready to serve the elderly at all times. During weekends you can allow your children visit the elderly couple in your neighborhood and plant flowers in their yard.

Family savings

Create a family money bank where everyone can drop off some money when they get allowances to be donated to Goodwill. When the money bank is full you can sit down as a family and decide what to do with the money. You may decide to buy clothes for the needy, visit the sick in hospital or contribute to some charity foundations. It is prudent to read magazines or visit the internet to be enlightened about several charities and share the information with your kids to be able to make a good decision.

Taking part in church activities like cleaning the church, trimming the bush or mowing the grass can also encourage your children to participate in various activities in the church. By participating in some of these activities, you will teach your kids that they shouldn't wait for disaster to strike to help others. Charity and generosity are part of the daily life and not only during emergencies.

Some of famous charity organizations: 1. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBSSA) is the oldest and largest youth mentoring organization in the United States, 2. Mater prize Home . All funds raised from the Mater Prize Home Lottery go directly to supporting patient care and research at Mater hospitals and the Mater Medical Research Institute. 3. Canines for Disabled Kids (CDK) is a relatively new charity, having begun only in 1998. This organization provides assistance dogs to children under age 12 who are autistic or have hearing or physical disabilities.