Giving to the less fortunate in society is one of the best ways to show kindness. Most parents feel proud of their Children when they grow up to be caring members of the community who are willing to help the underprivileged. However, as a parent, you need to teach your children some of these values from a young age. This way, you can mold them into responsible members of the community.

There are different ways of instilling values in your child. You can start by making a meal together to give someone or encourage them to volunteer whenever they can. Here are some ways you can teach your children about empathy and giving.

Start by encouraging generosity at home

A home is the first learning ground for any child. It’s best to start small at home with minor activities that demonstrate to the children the importance of helping others. For this to be effective, the entire household should be on board. There are several small activities in the house that can help you nurture the art of giving in your child. Some of these include:

• Preparing meals and snacks for a neighbor
• Encouraging them to help their sibling with their chores
• Doing their own chores without complaining
• Collecting clothes and items for donations

Explaining the concept of charity

Before moving further, it’s advisable to talk to your children about Charity, explaining to them what it is. You can use everyday examples they can relate to easily. This could be comforting a sad friend or helping an elderly person cross the road. Remember to point out various acts of kindness and generosity when they do something to help others.

Get your children involved

You can always choose to teach your children about generosity. However, without getting them involved, you may not complete the learning process. Getting your child involved doesn’t necessarily mean waiting for a disaster or community charity drive. There are several small gestures you can do together to help them learn about charity. Some of these include:

• Picking up litter in the neighborhood or park
• Visit the local animal shelter to play with the animals
• Participate in the neighborhood cleanup
• Offering the needy a warm cup of cocoa or coffee when it’s cold or a cold drink when it’s hot

You can as well get them to help you with some of your renovation projects in the house. For instance, they can help grab the tools you need to install new gray kitchen cabinets. This way, you can efficiently get them involved in activities that teach about helping others.

Let your children lead

Having explained the concept of charity to your children and exposed them to a few charitable activities, it is time to let them lead. Let your child choose the charity work they wish to participate in as a family. This could vary from feeding the homeless to donating toys and clothes to orphanages. Nevertheless, let your child choose. All you need to do is support them throughout every stage. This way, they can be able to discover on their own why they help others and appreciate the little they have in their lives. By letting them pursue their charitable events, you may have just nurtured a future philanthropist with a desire to change the world.

Talk about finances with your children

It’s a common misconception among some people that charity is all about donating money. Of course, money is involved, but this is not the only form of charity work. Your child may not be able to raise money to support their charity project, but they can offer help in terms of other services. This is also the best opportunity to teach your children how to save. Encourage them to organize cookie sales, car washes and even set aside part of their allowances to help them realize their charitable goals. Teaching your child how to raise funds for a charity movement can help nurture kindness, generosity and even boost their confidence levels.

When teaching your child about kindness and generosity, it’s advisable to go easy on the process, especially when dealing with younger children. Your own actions, both at home and in your surroundings, should help encourage your children to practice acts of kindness. It’s not enough to teach the children about charity; you can empower them to make a difference in society.