Teaching your children about philanthropy is one of the best ways to establish a serving heart at a young age. But sometimes it can be hard to get them involved when they don’t fully understand the impact they are making. It can be hard for young minds to completely comprehend the purpose and reality of philanthropies and those who are on the receiving end of them. However, read these 3 ways to teach children about philanthropy and make sure they get the most out of their philanthropic efforts – even if it takes a little more explaining on your part.
Discover these 3 Ways To Teach Children About Philanthropy Early On
Encourage them to raise their own money for a charity
Remember the days when a twenty-dollar bill could buy you all you ever wanted in the world? A new toy or your favorite candy bar could turn any day around. This mentality still exists in young minds, and is still perhaps the reason for lemonade stands on summer days. However, the next time your children want to host a lemonade stand, or a car wash, or whatever it is your young entrepreneurs have their minds made up on, suggest making a donation with some of the money. As you encourage your children to start raising money for themselves, encourage them to donate a percentage of it, no matter how small, to a charity of their choice. In doing so, you will first empower them to pick a charity that interests them establishing a passion for a certain cause. And second, you will help foster a spirit of giving that they will keep with them for the rest of their lives.
Volunteer at a nursing home
Volunteering at neighborhood nursing home is a great service to introduce your children to philanthropy. At its heart, philanthropy is the act of serving others and that is exactly what your family will be doing when you volunteer to spend an hour or two at a nursing home. Consider visiting regularly, even if it’s only once a month, to make sure your children get the most out of the experience. By making routine visits, your children will get the chance to build relationships and the difference they are making will have more of an impact that will inspire them to continue to serving others when they’re older.
Take them to donate to a food bank
Next time you’re grocery shopping with your children tell them to pick out some canned goods or other nonperishable items and drop them off at the closest food bank on the way home. In doing so, you will introduce the idea that serving others does not have to be something remarkable in order for it to make a difference. Instead, it will teach them the fact that serving others can and should be an everyday activity.
