Empathy and the spirit of charity do not always come naturally to children. This is why it’s your responsibility to instill it into them at an early age. This will increase the chance that they continue as they get older and contribute to making the world a better place. They’ll also start to reap the rewards of their work, and could even become well-known figures in their community. Let’s take a look at a few things that you can do to transfer your love of charity to your children.
Find their Cause
You shouldn’t have a hard time finding something your children are passionate about. If global poverty or global warming doesn’t pull on their heartstrings, know that there are tons of other causes they could champion instead. Maybe they want to save the whales, or are close to someone who suffers from a chronic disease. Encouraging them to read more about charities that would help these causes could spark their interest and push them to get involved.
Show them Different Ways of Giving Back
One of the things you should show your kids are the different ways that they can give back. Doing something like working at a food drive for a whole afternoon could be tough for a child, and you don’t want to make them feel guilty for not doing it. However, you could show them how they can give back through spending.
Companies like Locker Room Direct, for instance, sell team-issued jerseys from prestigious sports organizations from all over the world. However, 100% of the proceeds go to charity. Teaching your children to shop at places that focus on giving back will show them how they can start buying responsibly and become a gateway to other forms of charity.
Go Local
We would also suggest that you look at causes closer to home if you’re dealing with very small children. They might have trouble understanding major global issues, and issues in your direct community might be more tangible to them. Look where you could help where you are and how to get involved.
One great place could be local nursing homes or children’s hospitals. Children tend to connect with other children, and it will be hard for them to be indifferent. This is what you want if you want to start giving back voluntarily instead of you constantly pushing them in the back.
Show By Example
Do not force your children to participate in charity events; instead, show that they are a very important part of your life. Also, try to make it sound like fun and not work. Eventually, they will feel left out and become curious about what you do. This is your chance to take them to an event you think they’ll like with people they’ll be able to connect with.
These are all things that you can do to instill the love and importance of charity in children of all ages. This could end up changing their perspective on the world and personality on a profound level, so we suggest you start working on it right away.
