To help you teach valuable lessons about empathy and charity to your children, here are four tips to get you started.
Introduce Empathy at a Young Age
When talking about interaction with other people, parents should discuss the concept of empathy with their children as soon as possible. As Gordon mentions, developing kids’ capacity to take the perspective of others early on can lead toward collaboration and civility. Very young children may not realize that other people have feelings, ideas, and emotions of their own. However, you can help them along in the following ways:
Talk about how others feel: (Sarah is feeling sad because she lost her toy. Should we go and get her another one?)Suggest how to help others: (Let’s go get Billy a bandaid for his scraped knee. He would feel better if we help.)Read stories about feelings: (For example, The Little Book of Big Feelings by Marzi Wilson or My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss.)Teach self-awareness by using “I” statements: (“I don’t like it when you kick me. It hurts and makes me feel sad.”)
By the time they turn age three, children typically begin to understand and respect the fact that each and every person has feelings.
Set a Good Example
It’s important for parents to create a family environment in which charitable giving is natural and encouraged. This is why it can be highly beneficial to include your children in your own volunteer or charity activities. Here are some examples:
Let them see you dropping money into charity boxes.Encourage them to help you pick out canned foods during a food drive.Let them tag along when you participate in a walk for a cause you care about.Encourage them to help you write cards to the elderly.
Each time your child sees you giving to charity, it reinforces good behavior and gives you an opportunity to explain why it’s important to give and how rewarding charity can be.
Explore All of the Different Ways to Give
According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, there are over 1.5 million non-profit organizations in the U.S. alone. To help you gain a better idea of which organizations are the most fitting when it comes to your charitable efforts, watchdog group Charity Watch provides a user-friendly way to sort and browse top charities. Some of their top charity categories include:
Supporting under-represented and minority communities Animal protection Blind and visually impaired Cancer International relief and development Hunger Peace and international relations Women’s rights Youth development
There are many ways a child can learn the value of giving and plenty of volunteer options for kids. For example, setting up a charity box in the home can show how even a little bit of money can make a difference when given with a good heart. Encourage the donation of old toys, school supplies, and clothing to other needy children.
Involve Children in Volunteer and Charitable Activities
It can be easier for younger children to understand empathy and charity if they’re provided with more direct and concrete examples of charitable giving. They know that they love their favorite toys, so you can explain to them that not everyone is fortunate to have toys to play with. Likewise, you can help them set up a charity box to which they can contribute part of their allowance or loose change. Making philanthropic donations a regular activity around the house can reinforce charitable values in your children’s lives.
