How to teach your children about charity

Charity is an important part of society, so if you want your children to grow up as upstanding members of society, you will need to teach them about the merits and benefits of philanthropy. The truth of the matter is that there are going to be other people that are less fortunate who will need the help of people that are more fortunate. Not only do you want to help your child learn how to give to charity – you also want to give a reason why. There are many studies and surveys that show that a more prosperous community is a happier community. Plus, a community that shares with each other is a growing community. Without charity, these two things wouldn’t be possible. Here is how to teach your children about charity and philanthropy.

Show your child how charity works – you can draw up basic diagrams and show them pictures. This will help your child visualize the world of charity and philanthropy. For instance, you can show the process of writing a check and then you can explain that the money is delivered to the charity to purchase what they need to help the people in need.
Show your child pictures of famous philanthropists – sometimes it can help to have a hero to look up to. Studies on child development show that having a hero is a major motivating factor for a child. You can usually go online to find philanthropists that your children can look up to. For a young boy, you may want to find someone that they can relate to – the same goes for a little girl.
Show your child different charities – for instance, you can show them Wheels For Wishes, which gives cars to the needy. If you have an old car just sitting in the driveway, you may want to explain to your child that there is a family that needs that car. There is a good chance that that this will instantly put your child in the charitable spirit. It may even be fun to go through the list of different charities.
Show your child how to donate their time – you can bring your child to a local homeless shelter and explain that volunteers hand out food. Once they get the idea that there are people that don’t have enough to eat, it will encourage your child to donate his or her time. When you visit your local homeless shelter or soup kitchen, you may even want to have your child meet a few of the people – just to get a one on one interaction.
Show your child how a charity helps society – in the end, if your child agrees with the notion that whatever is given away will come back around in some form or another, your child will feel a lot more inspired to give. For instance, you can teach your child that giving is positive and it will make your child feel happier. In the end, instilling this notion into your child is the best way to encourage a giving attitude.