If you love being charitable and helping people, you will watch to teach your child these same values. They will learn from you about empathy, generosity, and charity. When your child sees you donate money to different causes or are aware of your volunteering activities, they might become more interested in helping others as well. You will serve as their role model, guiding them to become a charitable individual.
It’s important to let your child know they are never too young to help someone else. Setting a good example for them should be an easy thing to do, but it can go further than that. These tips will show you how to teach your child to be charitable.
There are many ways to teach your child about charity, but one of the best is by giving them a hands-on charitable experience. Here are some ideas that will help you and your child form a lasting bond while learning all about how important it is to give back.
In This Article
1. Introduce empathy to your child
If your child is young, they might not yet know what empathy is. It can be difficult for young children to understand that other people, just like them, have feelings and thoughts.
There are many simple things you can do to help your child develop their empathy. Read them children’s stories that explain feelings and emotions. Or read them their favourite bedtime story and ask them how they think the main character feels in different situations.
You can also help them notice how other people are feeling. If one of their friends is sad, for example, you can explain them why, and suggest a few things they could do to help their friend feel better.
2. Set a good example for your child
You can ask your child which causes they would like to support with their donations and tell them which ones you endorse. Set a good example for them. Let them see you donating to a charity or local church like the United Church of Canada. Also, take them with you when you volunteer to care for animals or write cards for the elderly. Ask them if they would like to help you raising funds or getting involved in a food drive.
3. Discuss what being charitable means
If you want your child to learn how to be charitable, you first need to teach them what being charitable means. Let them know that some children have no toys to play with, or that their parents can’t buy them new clothes or new shoes when they need them.
You can also explain to them that some families have lost their homes due to natural catastrophes. As such, you can help them by donating money, toys, or clothes to a charitable organisation.
4. Let your child know there is more than one way to be charitable
If your child has outgrown some of their clothes or doesn’t play with some of their old toys anymore, you can ask them if they would like to donate them so other children can enjoy them. But you should also let your child know that there is more than one way to be charitable.
If they can’t give clothes, toys, or money, they could give some of their time by volunteering. They could even come up with a fun fundraiser idea that would allow them to raise money for charity. You can also talk to them about different charities that support women’s rights, help protect animals, or provide relief for people affected by a handicap or a disease.
5. Encourage your child to donate
To show your child that donating to charity is natural, and to remind them of how important it is, you can do concrete things to encourage them to donate:
Set up a donation box in their closet: When they have a donation box in their closet, it will be easier to remember that they can donate their outgrown clothes and unused toys to charity. When the box is full, take your child with you to a local charity so they can see where their donations will go.
Teach them how to manage their money: If your child receives a weekly allowance or is old enough to earn some money, you should teach them how to manage their money. Give them three jars, labelled with “Saving”, “Spending”, and “Donating”. Tell them it’s a good idea to put 10% of the money they earn inside their Donating jar.
6. Allow them to get involved in creative ways
If you manage to show your child that donating to charity feels good, they might try to develop their own ideas on how they could raise funds or collect canned goods for charity. If your child wants to set up a lemonade stand, make a bake sale, or sell crafts to the neighbours, you should encourage their creativity and help them with their project. Donating to a cause they care about will be even more exciting and fulfilling if the decision to get involved with a fundraising project comes from them.
