Raising another generation of socially conscious, civic minded citizens can, at times, seem like a daunting task amidst a society chalk full of modern distractions. So much so that stories about how to raise charitable children have become prevalent staples in publications like The Wall Street Journal. I can personally attest to these challenges as I strive to expose my own 3 young children to their broader responsibilities to our community and humanity. However lofty this proposition might sound, training the next generation of volunteers does not have to be complicated. There are several resources parents and grandparents can turn to for help in fostering the value of giving within their families at an early age.
Meet your kids where they are. For young children, introducing them to giving may be as simple as talking about what you can do to help a museum, theater, garden, animal shelter, zoo, school, youth sports program, or library. For older children or teens it may be allowing them the opportunity to compete for a share of family charitable dollars by researching causes important to them and allowing them to pitch the family for support. For adult children, it may be giving them the gift of a charitable account in lieu of a birthday or holiday gift at a time in life when their other financial responsibilities and obligations are growing. The Philanthropic Initiative and learningtogive.org have good primers that begin to frame ways children in different developmental stages may relate to their worlds.
Make it tangible. The younger the children, the more important making giving experiences hands-on need to be. Volunteer together at a food pantry. Create a “giving jar” for spare change or part of an allowance and decide as a family where to donate the money once it’s full. Have kids assist you in volunteering at a summer camp for at-risk youth. Involve them in decisions about giving toys or clothes to children in need. Pick out a holiday gift together to give to a family in need. Connect your teens with other local teens who care through our Youth in Philanthropy program.
Foster new experiences. One of the most valuable lessons I learned early on was how much of the world is comprised of people with needs vastly greater than my own. While my formal education may have instilled this in me eventually, it came to me early on as I was taken time and time again to local nonprofit organizations in different neighborhoods across our community. Taking your family to a new area of town to help a local charity can be a very formative experience – both as a family and in shaping the values your children. Physically visiting nonprofit organizations, and witnessing the work that they do firsthand, can be a formative experience for young children if chosen carefully, but is especially meaningful for adolescents and young adults.
Make it fun. Young kids can have charitable birthday parties; teens may prefer to use their social networks to mobilize support for an important cause instead of their family. DoSomething.org makes it their business to make giving cool and connect teens to projects throughout the country. Giving done well should be a rewarding and positive experience – if not immediately, as the life lessons take hold.
Identify common interests and embrace differences. Realize that your children are different from you and from one another. What may feel good and be fun for one child may not provide the same experience for the rest of the family. Have conversations about what common interests you may share and what interests may be unique to each of you. Help provide ways to support and encourage your children’s individual interests as they continue to develop and evolve. If desired, we have worksheets that can help you begin to focus on the interests your family shares and even provide for the opportunity for you to craft a family mission statement.
Talk about it. Modeling giving behavior, and talking about your motivations for giving and the actions you take, is one of the most fundamental ways to pass along the value of giving.
If you and your family want to explore the steps that might best suit your needs at your family’s current life stage or have a story to share about how your family has given together, please give us a call. We would love to hear from you.
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