Ways to Teach Kids About the Importance of Donating

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Recent world events have caused a lot of want in our communities. To best help out folks in our sphere, it's a good idea to get in the habit of giving. Whether you're giving time, dollars or treasure, doing it as a family can be extremely healthy for your children.

Set the Example

When it's time to clean up after supper, set a box on the counter. As you empty the dishwasher, check to make sure you don't already have one particular gadget. If you have multiple tools, put one in the donation box. Let kids see that the joy of having enough can be extremely healthy and give people the chance to help others. You can put this to use in the laundry room, the play room and your personal closet. Ask your child if they'd like a box, and encourage them to add a little decoration if they want. Let them see you giving things that no longer serve you and can be a blessing to someone else.

If your child has toys to donate, make sure that you go through these items and wash up what you can. Most toys will survive a lot of love before they're totally worn out, but if you're giving a stuffed animal, check the seams and wash up the item so the donated item has a brand new feel.

Complete the Loop

Of course, giving blesses the giver in many different ways. In addition to celebrating the thanks of neighbors and fellow citizens, make sure your children understand the technical features of donating anything, from clothes to a car donation in Utah or your particular locale to show your kids how to be generous. Collect those donation receipts and gather them in your tax documentation. When it comes time to file, ask your kids to help you remember the number of times you donated, the places you usually give and any dollar transactions that they witnessed.

Bring Kids Along for the Donation

When you're ready to drop off your box or bag, make sure you take care of this task while the kids are in the car. Ask for a receipt and give the list to your child. Talk about how these items can be sold to someone who has little money and a great need. You can also talk about the job training programs offered by many second-hand shops.

It's also a good time to point out that you can often find used items that are just as serviceable as a new item. If you and your family shop at second hand stores, your child already has that information, but if you have a habit of buying new, it may be a good time to start shopping at second hand stores as well as donating there. The ability to buy new may not always be an option, and the skill or repurposing a used item could give your child a lot of options in their early years on their own.

Donate Time as Well as Money and Goods

Join up with other members of your community for local cleanups of common areas. Volunteer with animal lovers at your local Humane Society to give lonely dogs a walk and abandoned cats a cuddle. If you have extra cash, consider also bringing food and litter to animal shelters.

Locally, bring gloves and a trash bag on your family walks so you can gather garbage that may have blown in. If you have a neighbor struggling with illness or age limitations, consider mowing their lawn, walking their pet or fixing some food for them as they heal up.

It's easy to develop a mindset of only cleaning up your own area and limiting yourself from the struggles of others. However, that silo mindset doesn't do any good if you're also interested in enjoying the features of a community. Learning to volunteer early can help your child to build a more civic mindset.

Conclusion

Charitable giving is a powerful way to build gratitude for what you have and to share the blessings you've been given. Be sure to start with your own possessions and fully demonstrate what giving of your own excess does for both you and others. Once they're interested, let your children go through their own belongings to get in the habit of repurposing, cleaning out and gaining full value from the items they own.