6 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Giving During Christmas
3 Min Read | Sep 27, 2021
We all know Christmas time is one of the best opportunities all year to give.
But it’s so easy to get caught up in shopping and buying all the stuff that we don’t take the time to demonstrate how to give to our children.
It’s not hard to find stuff to give to our kids, but how can we get them in on the giving action? How do we make sure they begin to learn the power of giving at an early age?
Here’s a few ideas:
1. Send an extra snack with them to school.
At lunchtime, they can give it away to a random friend or stranger. When they get back home, find out how they shared the snack.
2. Encourage them to pass along compliments.
Share a kind word or two with a classmate—or even a teacher! The gift of appreciation and encouragement will go a long way to brighten someone’s day during the holiday season.
3. Take your kids with you.
If you’re sponsoring a family through your church or participating in a charity like Angel Tree, let your kids be a part of the buying and delivery process. Make giving memories together!
4. Create coupons and hand them out to neighbors.
If your son or daughter babysits, walks neighborhood dogs or cuts grass, they can make some coupons to hand out in the neighborhood. Each coupon could be for one free chore.
5. Let them pick their favorite charity.
Encourage your kids to start saving money to give to their selected charity. If you give them a commission, or if they’re older and have a part-time job, they can start saving a small percentage to donate.
6. Give away old toys.
Every year, as you prepare for the oncoming stockpile of toys and other plastic goods, take some time a few weeks before Christmas to clean out the old toys. Go through their rooms, search the toy closet, and pick the older stuff to send to Goodwill or another charitable organization. Make sure they’re a part of the cleaning process, too!
Remember, you’re setting the example. So if your kids are seeing you with a giving spirit, then you’re already doing a lot!
So, this year, give your kids amazing gifts within your budget. But also let them participate in an amazing giving experience as well.
Giving truly is better than receiving.