Parents ask, “How can I teach my kids compassion?” How can I get them to understand the true meaning of giving & receiving?” Well, here’s 10 Tips that are easy to do and make a huge impact for someone else when complete. These can be done as a family, a group or just one child at a time. You decide. 1. Gift Giving. Once your child has been given gifts, be it the holidays, birthday, whatever, have them choose 1 of the presents to donate to a needy child. 2. Create a Charity Jar. When receiving allowance, or any other money, have your child give 10% of that money to the Charity Jar and then donate the jar’s total at the end of the year. 3. Volunteer. Choose a day when the whole family can volunteer at a homeless shelter, food center, church, synagogue, hospital or anywhere that is looking for help from their community. 4. Write a Letter. Start a tradition of writing letters to our troops overseas. Choose a few times over the year to do this. 5. Kids for Kids. Have your kids and family make small gifts or cards to hand deliver to hospitals in your area for sick children. 6. Adopt a Family. Find a needy family through the Social Services in your area and adopt them for the holidays, by giving gifts specific to their “Santa” requests in lieu of giving gifts to each other. 7. Start a Charity. Let your kids help you start a charity drive in your neighborhood, family or school, whatever scale you want to start at. Collection ideas can be coats, school supplies, food, even penny drives (where kids just donate pennies) are great for kids… afterall, they can really add up. 8. Kids for Seniors. Everybody has Senior Homes and Centers in your community and kids can brighten their day. In addition, kids can learn a great deal from Seniors, so it can really be a win-win for all. Bring some supplies to do a craft with them at the center or bring something you made at home to give to the residents as small reminders of your visit. 9. Recycle, Reuse… A great way to teach your kids about recycling and reusing is to have them go through their clothes that don’t fit or their toys they no longer use and box them up and bring them to a shelter, church or place where their used items can be reused and loved by someone else. 10. Food Shop for Others. Take your kids with you to the food store and teach them about healthy eating, as well as food labels and how to read them. Then have them choose some items themselves to donate to a food bank or even the collections cart that the food store has set up already. Charity starts at home, with you and your family. If you create an atmosphere of giving in your home, your children will know compassion and will grow to be givers. Please comment on ways your family is charitable and offer up great ideas to share with others. If this post was helpful to you, let’s help some more parents! Feel free to share this with anyone who might enjoy it or on your social media sites! I wish all of you the happiest of holidays and a loving, healthy, prosperous 2016! Peace, Love & Laughter! Celia Kibler Email: celia@funfit.com Let’s raise happy and healthy kids together! Catch my Parenting 101 show live on Periscope Monday thru Friday at 2pm, as we discuss topics of concern and great ideas for all parents and caregivers.
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