Sweet Charity

SWEET CHARITY
TEACHING YOUR KIDS THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING BACK

You might think that your children are too young to understand what
being charitable means. While the intricacies and implications of charity
might not be in their realm of understanding yet, the basic, underlying
message certainly is: it's important to share with and help other people.
Here, THE FAMILY GROOVE highlights three key ways to empower your
little ones—and big ones—to give back.

1	Part with old things

If you’re anywhere close to being a typical parent, your children probably have too many clothes (some with price tags still on), toys (that lost their appeal after the first week), books (from their younger days) and a bunch of other random miscellaneous items. Instead of packing them up and hauling them to the curb, remember: just because they’ve outlasted their usefulness in your home doesn’t mean they can’t be helpful to someone else.

Enlist your children’s help in sorting the items and use the time together to walk down memory lane. Reminisce about the time your daughter insisted on wearing her favorite sweater every day for a week or about how your son wouldn’t go anywhere without bringing his stuffed dinosaur along.

Make sure to explain to your kids where these things are going, the good that their seemingly “useless” items can bring and take them with you when you drop off the items. If donating books, tell your children that the books will help other children learn to read, so they can become smart too. If donating old winter coats, remind your daughter how cold she was the day she forgot her gloves at home and that other children have to deal with that every day.

2	Volunteer your time

Trying to fit more activities into your child’s packed schedule is akin to shoving one more pair of shoes into an already overstuffed suitcase—it looks like it just won't work, until you actually try. With some shrewd, constructive thinking, you’ll be able to find ways to integrate charitable activities into the things you already do.

	Have elderly neighbors? Bring your kids out with you when doing yard work. Make a quick job of your property, and move on (with permission, of course) to your neighbors’. Helping them with the lawn, especially when temperatures rise, is one way to be charitable without too much interference on your life.
	When your child’s friends come over for a playdate or a sleepover, wrangle them all in the kitchen to help you cook. Make enough to have leftovers. The next day, drop off the food at a local church or homeless shelter.

3	Make change

Children don’t have full-time jobs so it falls to you to set the example of how powerful a monetary donation can be. Using money from their allowance is a great way to start, but even if they haven’t reached that age yet, there are plenty of ways to involve your children in helping others. There are many websites like www.give.org and www.charityguide.org that will help you determine the legitimacy of a charity before you part with your money.

Establish a “Change the World” jar. Get the kids to help you decorate it with stickers and markings. Every day at a set time (before dinner or before bedtime) collect the change from the bottom of your bag or purse and let the children put it in the jar. Collect the loose pennies that inconspicuously appear on the floor of the car and in between couch cushions. Once the jar is full, take it to a coin-sorting machine. Some machines will let you directly make a contribution to a non-profit organization, such as the March of Dimes.

For more ideas on charitable activities with your children and other age-appropriate tips, visit www.learningtogive.org.

—Tara Pringle Jefferson

Tara Pringle Jefferson is a freelance writer based out of Cleveland, Ohio.